The latest news on and a musical tribute to slain musical artist and writer Facundo Cabral.

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A younger Facundo

"Every morning is good news, every child that is born is good news, every just man is good news, every singer is good news, because every singer is one less soldier." - Facundo Cabral

"Facundo Cabral was our last troubadour. As much a philosopher-poet as a singer, he was a living testament to the search for what unites us in culture and society. After his concerts, you'd feel that our life in common was richer, more mysterious, more profound." - Argentine singer Isabel de Sebastian

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Facundo Cabral, world famous singer, songwriter, guitarist, poet, author and philosopher, officially designated a Messenger of Peace by UNESCO in 1996, was murdered on July 9th in Guatemala City, Guatemala when, according to one report, "A firefighter at the scene said colleagues saw black vehicles pull up and open fire on Cabral's white Range Rover and the beige Chevrolet Tahoe accompanying the singer." (source)

To add injury to insult, Facunda was nearly blind, crippled and a cancer survivor who had lost his wife and one-year old daughter to a plane crash in 1978. (source). His murder leaves tens of millions of fans grieving around the world, particularly in Central and South America. His death is perhaps as cataclysmic to the world as the murder of Beatle John Lennon in 1980.

The full picture of what happened is still sketchy as investigative evidence continues to trickle in, but this is what is known so far in the news excerpts below, beginning with this BBC News excerpt:

Tributes are being paid to Facundo Cabral, the Argentine folk singer, who has been shot dead in Guatemala.

Cabral, 74, was heading from his hotel to the airport in Guatemala City when he was reportedly ambushed.

He was one of Latin America's most famous performers, and his killing has prompted a wave of reaction.

Guatemala's leader said early investigations suggested Cabral was not targeted but the attack was aimed at a music promoter travelling with him.

President Alvaro Colom said he was "dismayed by this cowardly act" and decreed three days of mourning.

Cabral had performed in the city of Quetzaltenango, 200km (120 miles) west of Guatemala City, on Thursday. He was heading to Nicaragua for more concerts.

'Adios amigo!'

Police said Cabral's vehicle, which was accompanied by another carrying bodyguards, had been hit by a number of rifle bullets and the singer died at the scene.

His most famous song was No Soy de Aqui ni Alla (I'm Not From Here or There), which was recorded in a number of languages.

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman tweeted his "profound sadness" at the news, adding: "Adios amigo!" (FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE)

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From an Al Jazeera report:

A large crowd of onlookers quickly gathered at the crime scene, which was next to a fire station a few hundred metres away from the turn-off for the airport. Some shouted angrily as police and army cordoned off a large stretch of the road.

"We want justice," cried one man.

Rise to stardom

Rising from humble origins, the outspoken Cabral was best known for his 1970 song "No Soy De Aqui, Ni Soy De Alla," (I'm Not From Here, I'm Not From There Either) which was covered by many other artists including Julio Iglesias.

Nearly blind, Cabral rose to fame in the 1970s as a protest singer and went into exile in Mexico during Argentina's 1976-1983 military dictatorship.

His songs later turned more spiritual and he continued to fill concert halls across Latin America.

Rigoberta Menchu, a leading activist for the rights of indigenous peoples in the country who won a Nobel Peace prize in 1992, said Cabral's murder was just one of many to afflict Guatemala.

"This is a well planned crime," she said. International criminals base themselves in Guatemala because they know they can get away with acts like this," Menchu told reporters at the scene. (FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE)

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Wikipedia reports further on its updated Cabral site with even more details on his death and world reactions in the aftermath of this tragedy:

He had left a hotel in the west of Guatemala City, after giving a show the previous evening in Quetzaltenango, and was headed to the airport when gunmen attacked his vehicle (a white Range Rover), hitting him with at least eight bullets. He died in the car. The incident occurred at around 05.20 (local time) and took place on Liberation Boulevard, a busy road that connects with the airport, but at the time of the attack was practically empty. Cabral initially planned to take a hotel shuttle to the airport, but accepted a ride from Henry Fariña.

Cabral was with his agent David Llanos and concert promoter Henry Fariña, who were wounded. He was accompanied by a second vehicle carrying bodyguards, but they couldn't protect the singer's vehicle from the bullets. Cabral was riding in a SUV that tried to flee the attackers by driving into a fire station. At least 20 bullet holes were seen in the Range Rover car he was in. The gunmen were in three late-model vehicles, one in front of Cabral's car and two to the right and left. One of the attackers' vehicles was later found abandoned on the road to El Salvador. It was a brown Hyundai Santa Fe with bullet holes and containing bullet-proof vests and AK-47 magazine. The Argentine consul in Guatemala, Enrique Vaca Narvaja, confirmed the report of the attack.

The Guatemalan government reported to Argentine authorities that it had been "a planned attack". The president of Guatemala, Álvaro Colom, called Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to express his condolences, also saying there was evidence that it was an ambush. Early investigations indicated the bullets were meant for the driver, Cabral's Nicaraguan promoter Henry Farinas because the trajectory of the bullets were from right to left, toward the driver's seat. Three specialized investigative teams from Guatemala were assigned to the case.

Guatemala's President Alvaro Colom decreed three days of national mourning. Hundreds of Guatemalans sang songs written by the artist in the capital's Plaza de la Constitucion. Some of the signs carried by Guatemalans grieving the death of the beloved singer said ""We say sorry to the world for the assassination of Facundo", "We are here not only for the death of Maestro Cabral, but also for every boy, girl, old man and woman, who becomes, day after day, victim of violence. Not only for Facundo Cabral, but also for the future of our children."

Argentina's foreign minister, Héctor Timerman, tweeted "Adios amigo!" [ 4 ] .

Guatemala's 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchú, went to the scene of the killing and wept. "For me, Facundo Cabral is a master," she said. "He loved Guatemala greatly." Social networks were filled with expressions of outrage. "I feel an immeasurable shame, a profound anger for my country," said Ronalth Ochaeta, former director of a Catholic Church human rights office Guatemala, on his Facebook account. Rodolfo Ajquejay, President of the Association of Artists in Guatemala, said "this is mourning at a global level because [he] left only positive messages in his songs." This incident "was regrettable" and was "one more manifestation of the violence in Guatemala," said Francisco Dall'Anese, the head of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), an organization created in conjunction with the United Nations. Guatemala's human rights ombudsman, Sergio Morales, expressed his condolences to Argentina."I ask authorities of this country that this crime not be left unsolved, to investigate," he said.

The President of Venezuela expressed his dismay with a short message via the Twitter social network. "Oh what a pain! Killed the great troubadour of Las Pampas Long live Facundo Cabral weep with Argentina and with all our great homeland," wrote Chavez in his Twitter profile.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said "Facundo Cabral will be immortalized with his songs." (source)

Indeed he will be! Here are some of them now. Rest in peace, troubadour:

A more recent photo of Facundo (Photobucket Commons)

VIDEOS:

(also CLICK HERE)

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Here is his most famous song, first sung in 1970, No Soy De Aqui, Ni Soy De Alla , translated as I'm Not From Here, I'm Not From There Either:

Here is a more youthful version:

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and more recently:

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Brief Bio of Cabral by Craig Harris:

Argentina's culture continues to be explored through the songs and novels of Buenos Aires-born singer, guitarist, and novelist Facundo Cabral. His repertoire includes the international hit "No Soy de Aqui, Ni Soy de Alla," which has been translated and recorded in nine languages by such artists as Julio Iglesias, Pedro Vargas, and Neil Diamond. His novels include Conversations With Facundo Cabral, My Grandmother and I, Psalms, and Borges and I. In 1966, the United Nations Department of Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) declared him a "worldwide messenger of peace." Cabral overcame numerous obstacles in his climb toward international fame. The youngest of three children, he was raised by his mother after his father deserted the family. Moving to south Argentina as a youngster, he continued to struggle. Arrested and locked up in a reformatory, he managed to escape and became a born-again Christian. Relocating to Tandil, he worked a series of menial jobs, including street cleaning and farm laborer. Inspired by the music of Atahualpa Yapanqui and Jose Larralde, Cabral taught himself to play folk songs on the guitar. Moving to Mar Del Plata, he found a job singing in a hotel. With the success of "No Soy De Aqui, Ni Soy De Alla," in 1970, Cabral rose to the upper echelon of Argentinean music. His outspoken lyrics, however, continued to stir controversy. Labeled a "protest singer," in the mid-'70s, he was forced to leave his homeland and seek exile in Mexico. He remained a world citizen, however, performing in more than 150 countries. Returning to Argentina in 1984, Cabral performed a series of concerts in Buenos Aires' Luna Park that attracted as many as 6,000 people each night. Three years later, he performed at Buenos Aires' football stadium for an audience of more than 50,000 people. Cabral toured with Alberto Cortes in May 1994. (source)

Authors Bio:
I am a student of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and a tempered advocate for the ultimate manifestation of peace, justice and the unity of humankind through self-realization and mutual respect, although I am not a pacifist, nor do I believe in peace at any price, which is no peace at all but only delays inevitable conflict. There are times when the world must act. Planetary consciousness is evolving, but there are many retrograde forces that would drag us back down.

I have also written one book, a combination of poetry, photography and essays entitled "Post Katrina Blues", my reflections on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans two years after Katrina struck. Go to the store at http://sanfranciscobaypress.com/ to purchase. And I also have a blog called Plutonian Mac.