Brazilians Heart Bush

From Holden:

[Brazil’s culture minister and singing superstar Gilberto] Gil, 62, took time off from his government role this weekend to play shows in Sao Paulo, treating fans to many of his own classics as well as songs by Bob Marley and John Lennon.

During “Soy Loco Por Ti America” (I’m Crazy About You, America) — a song from the 1960s about Latin American dreams of liberation — the visual display behind the band flashed up an image of the U.S. leader with a noose around his neck and the slogan “Morra, Bush, Morra” (Die, Bush, Die).

[snip]

Some Brazilians applauded — many in this country do not approve of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq (news – web sites) — but some Americans in the audience were seething.

It turns out that Gil was unaware of the image. Jodele Larcher, the video jockey who handled the visuals, chose the image without consulting the singer, Gil’s press agent Marcus Vinicius told Reuters on Tuesday.

“The VJ puts the image that he wants and he thought it was appropriate for this song,” Vinicius said.

“It was without Gil’s permission and Gil asked him to take it off” for later shows in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, he added.

Link.