Carlos Varela Postpones Miami Concerts Amidst Unprecedented Visa Delay
Cuban singer-songwriter Carlos Varelaโ has been forced toโค postpone his November 14 and 15 performancesโ at the Flamingo Theater in Miami due to a delay in his U.S. work visa approval. The artist, a mainstay of Cubanโ Nueva Trova music for nearly four decades, received the news after waiting over a month for a response from โฃthe United States consulate in Madrid.
This marks the first time Varela has encountered such significant delays in obtaining a U.S. visa, a process he undertakes annually. The cancellations impact fans who had purchased tickets months in advance and cast uncertaintyโค over a planned Novemberโ 21 concert in Newโ Jersey. Varela maintains dates for December 19 and 20, expressing hope for a swiftโฃ resolution.
“I carryโ out this procedure every year and this is โขthe first time somethingโ likeโค this happens to โขme,” Varela stated on his Facebook page. “It’s very unfortunate.” He acknowledged โthe disruption to fans’ plans, โขadding, “my team, my musicians and I were โขreadyโ and remain prepared toโค resume theโ tour, as soon as โthe visa is confirmed.”
The postponed Miami shows were โคto be part of a larger tour supporting Varela’sโ latest album, โฃ Nothing is like before, released in november 2023. The album, recorded in Madrid, explores themes of change, emigration, and nostalgia, and represents Varela’s ninth studio recording. Prior to the U.S. leg, Varela presented the album on โJune 21 at the Sala โCapitol in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, reconnecting wiht his family’s ancestral roots. he had previously shared his enthusiasm for “returning to โฃthe land of myโ grandparents” where he penned his song “Monedas al aire” 35 years ago.