Monte Ávila, Rafael Cadenas, Carlos Noguera / Simón Boccanegra

Monte Ávila, Rafael Cadenas, Carlos Noguera

Assuming as reliable the information provided by a professor at UCV’s Escuela de Letras regarding a supposed veto against the work of Rafael Cadenas by Monte Ávila, this mini-columnist made the mistake of publishing a critical note about the matter, revealing my surprise about such behavior coming from Carlos Noguera, the director of the State’s publishing house. Well, the information I commented on doesn’t coincide with the truth. The exact opposite is the case. It is Cadenas himself, along with Eugenio Montejo, who refuses to publish his work with Monte Ávila. Moreover, Noguera has made efforts to publish the verse of the great poet from the state of Lara. So, I apologize to Carlos Noguera for having attributed a censor’s spirit to him. Having received the information, it left me a bit perplexed because I know Noguera well enough to realize that intolerance isn’t one of his characteristic traits. Forgive me, my friend, but in such singular times as these, when the weirdest things happen, and after one has seen so many old friends, once furious critics of Stalinism, who become mute when faced with Farruco [Sesto]’s abuses and other excesses in the cultural landscape, I attributed to you a responsibility that isn’t yours. I’m happy to know you don’t run with that crowd.




{ Simón Boccanegra, Tal Cual, 8 April 2008 }