September 10, 2010

By By Howell Llewellyn, Madrid

Spanish singing star Alejandro Sanz wants to declare peace with Venezuelan president Hugo Ch?vez and play in Caracas. The Miami-based artist saw his November 2007 concert in the Venezuelan capital canceled for "security reasons," after Sanz had criticised Ch?vez at a Caracas press conference.

Sanz has this week written on Twitter: "President Ch?vez, I want to go and sing in your country. Will you let me? Will you give me your word that nothing will happen to my public... nor to me?

"If you give me permission and your word that nothing will happen, I will end my [current] tour in Venezuela. You have the final word."

Sanz has not played in Venezuela since 2004. His 2007 press conference coincided with the signing of a petition by 3 million Venezuelans calling for a referendum on whether Ch?vez should be allowed to stand for re-election.

"I don't like him," Sanz told the press conference about Ch?vez. "If they gave me 3 million signatures to stop singing, I would stop singing immediately," he said. The next day, Ch?vez supporters swiftly gathered 230,000 signatures asking for Sanz to quit singing. His scheduled concert had been sold out.

Many stars signed a statement criticizing the calling off of Sanz's Caracas concert, including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Miguel Bos? (who also said he would not play in Venezuela while Ch?vez was president), Man?, Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, and actress Penelope Cruz.

Ch?vez has not yet replied to Sanz's gesture.

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