This year, one of the main stars for the super concert at the Cali Fair is J Balvin. However, his invitation to the event was questioned by several women's groups, who filed a right of petition to prevent the singer from performing at the show. 

 

The arguments in the document consist point out that these types of public events cannot serve to "perpetuate symbolic macho and racist violence," as it would contribute "to socialize new generations in contempt, ridicule, trivialization and justification of violence against women and the Afro-descendant population."

 

Every year, in the city of Santiago de Cali, Colombia, a large fair is held to showcase the cultural identity of the territory. The Cali Fair takes place between Dec. 25 and 30, and its most important events are the Salsódromo and the Superconcert.

 

The mayor of Cali, Jorge Iván Ospina, said the situation was not within his purview, but agreed that no person should attend the event.

 

"I would agree that no one should buy them a ticket and not shift the responsibility to the Mayor's Office, the responsibility should be on the public that knowing the sexism that exists in that story, do not participate in an event of this characteristic," Ospina said in an interview with local radio station, Blu Radio.

 

Nancy Faride Arias Castillo, one of the spokespeople on the right to petition said that the concern about Balvin's show "lies in the fact that the Prosecutor's Office and Legal Medicine have stated that in the last 10 years, Cali has been one of the most violent cities against women and girls."

 

In addition, she was emphatic that "having a figure like J Balvin, who generates violent content, which condemns young generations to have behaviors of undervaluation towards women and our bodies, does nothing to address this problem."

 

Among the behaviors cited by women's groups is the recent criticism of the singer for the video and lyrics of his song "Perra." There was such strong public pressure that the video was removed from YouTube and other platforms for "being harmful to the interests of women and Afro-descendant communities."

 

J Balvin's Superconcert is scheduled for Dec. 27 as part of the Cali Fair. Other artists invited to the event are Silvestre Dangond, Jessi Uribe, Paola Jara, El Binomio de Oro, Willy García, Sergio Vargas, Guayacán Orquesta, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Agudelo 888.