“Peace” concert in Havana, Cuba draws large crowds

Per The New York Times, hundreds of thousands of Cubans filled Havana’s Revolution Square on Sunday to attend the “Peace Without Borders” concert headlined by Colombian superstar Juanes.

It is the biggest crowd drawn by an outsider since Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1998, per the article.

The concert drew some controversy in Miami, Florida, where its divided Cuban community clashed over Sunday’s event. While many supported the concert advertised to promote peace, some disapproving Cubans saw it as support for Castro and the country’s government, per NBC Miami.

Despite the controversy, many Twitter users in both Havana and Miami consider the concert a success:

1. 
   amaya_terry (Havana, Cuba) Hoy en las calles solo se habla del 20 de Septiembre, cuando Cuba fue protagonista del concierto del Siglo Gracias #juanes, Olga, Miguel (Today word on the street is only of September 20, when Cuba was the protagonist of the concert of the century. Thanks # juanes, Olga, Miguel) 21 Sep 2009 from Echofon
2. 
   Hiachick (Miami, FL) Thinking about the happiness & joy the cuban’s felt despite their difficulties due to limited resources.Thank you Juanes,Olga & Miguel. 21 Sep 2009 from web
3. 
   lopezg222 (Miami, FL) @juanestwiter juanes; soy de las cubanas de miami que te apoya. muchas felicidades por el gran exito del concierto!!! (I am a Cuban in Miami who supports you. many congratulations on the great success of the concert!)
   21 Sep 2009 from web from web

Users worldwide tweeted about one particular moment in the concert:

1. 
   elsazoe (Puerto Rico) @kperezmon Maybe u missed when Juanes and Miguel Bose made the whole 1,150,000 attendants say out loud: Freedom! 20 Sep 2009 from web in reply to kperezmon
2. 
   cathleenfarrell (Miami Beach, FL) Freedom. Change. Juanes used those words. 20 Sep 2009 from web

Others, however, viewed the event with skepticism:

1. 
   JSAlvarezJ (Miami, FL) Woodstock didn’t end the Vietnam war. Juanes concert is not going to end a 50yr old problem. 21 Sep 2009 from Echofon
2. 
   kozumel (Madrid, Spain) @Idita74 I’m not talking about Juanes dear; you just can’t have peace without freedom, anywhere, anytime. Nice marketing move though… 21 Sep 2009 from web in reply to Idita74