Tweet Against García Márquez Generates Outrage in Colombia  · Global Voices
Lully

(All links are in Spanish, otherwise noted as [en] for English)
“They will soon be together in hell” was the phrase tweeted by elected Colombian congresswoman of the Centro Democrático [en] [Democratic Center], María Fernanda Cabal. It was accompanied by a photo which alluded to the ideology of the recently deceased laureate writer and journalist, Gabriel García Márquez.
They will soon be together in hell.
Cabal's polemic tweet has stirred up general outrage and offended Aracataca, birthplace of García Márquez, for going against the Colombian Nobel laureate's memory. Many Twitter users have criticized her standing and asked for respect:
Aracataca espera a la señora Cabal para dar un debate sobre el infierno. pic.twitter.com/cvUB3Ziu3C
— Gonzalo Guillén (@HELIODOPTERO) abril 20, 2014
Aracataca awaits Ms. Cabal to give a debate on hell.
Que le digan a maria fernanda cabal que el infierno ya esta reservado pa uribe y sus complices mafiosos
— Javier Danilo (@javierdanilomur) abril 20, 2014
Let them tell María Fernanda Cabal that hell has already been reserved for [ex Colombian presidente Alvaro] Uribe and his mafia accomplices.
No hay nada más desagradable que atacar a un genio después de muerto, es como yo hablar mal de Hawking porque es ateo. #GraciasGabo
— Omar Pacheco R. (@OmarPachecoOp) abril 18, 2014
There is nothing more unpleasant than to attack a genius after his death, it's like me bad-mouthing Hawking for being an atheist. #GraciasGabo [Thanks Gabo]
Following an angry reply issued towards María Fernanda Cabal, Armando Benedetti, senator for the Partido de Unidad Nacional [en] (Social Party of National Unity) began an online campaign where people are supposed to vote for or against it:
Está Usted de acuerdo con que María Fernanda Cabal pague una penitencia por su agravio a nuestro Nobel, posesionándose 3 meses después del 20 de Julio?
Do you agree that María Fernanda Cabal should pay for her insult against our Nobel laureate by taking office three months after July 20th?
But the controversial tweet wasn't enough for María Fernanda Cabal. Instead, she threw back others infused with harsh ideological criticism:
Q amistad tan productiva! Los comunistas millonarios… @_El_Patriota @drvargasquemba @juancamelo @ricardopuentesm pic.twitter.com/Jid43ZxlV3
— Maria Fernanda Cabal (@MariaFdaCabal) abril 17, 2014
What a productive friendship! The communist millionares…
Tan comico..le habra contado como ordeno asesinar a Gaitan? @MackenzieEdo @_El_Patriota @juancamelo @drvargasquemba pic.twitter.com/QRwkzBO8mH
— Maria Fernanda Cabal (@MariaFdaCabal) abril 17, 2014
So funny… could he have told him how he ordered Gaitan's assassination?
“@NicolasMaduro: Fue Amigo sincero y leal de los líderes revolucionarios pic.twitter.com/g0Z4WXR998” // que han llenado de sangre y miseria
— Maria Fernanda Cabal (@MariaFdaCabal) abril 18, 2014
He was a sincere and loyal friend to the revolutionary leaders that have caused blood and misery.
María Fernanda Cabal removed the tweet after seeing the reactions against it. The Centro Democrático published a statement on its behalf expressing condolences to the Nobel laureate's family. The congresswoman also tweeted a letter apologizing with Gabo's family while at the same time is emphatic on her ideology and criticism:
Comunicado de Maria Fernanda Cabal a propósito de los mensajes publicados desde mi cuenta de Twitter con (cont) http://t.co/g9Y9SBEFrr
— Maria Fernanda Cabal (@MariaFdaCabal) abril 19, 2014
A statement from María Fernanda Cabal in reference to the published messages from my Twitter account (continued)
Nevertheless, the reactions continue:
Jajaja! Entre más habla más mete las de caminar http://t.co/zjNaAgWwnk
— Antonio Morales Rive (@amoralesan) abril 19, 2014
Hahaha! The more she talks, the more she talks the more mess she makes.
Esta vieja es muy ignorante, maria fernanda cabal
— Andrés Uribe (@SoyEse_Loco) abril 20, 2014
This a very ignorant woman, María Fernanda Cabal.
Twitter user @DJChiflamicas, in a joking and sarcastic tone, mentions the congresswoman and former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez [en], leader of her political party:
Pronto estarán juntos en el infierno, no mentira yo sí estudié y no creo en eso @MariaFdaCabal pic.twitter.com/Zauy8l5oF6
— DJ Chiflamicas (@DJChiflamicas) abril 18, 2014
Soon they will be together in hell, it's not a lie, I did study and I don't believe in that.
John Alexander Mosquera questions Ms. Cabal's actions in his blog and emphasizes how she contradicts herself by wanting to adjust her harsh criticism towards Gabo:
Queriendo obviar el hecho que la violencia oficial, común y política del país obligo a Gabriel García Márquez a vivir en el exilio; y pretendiendo mitigar la indignación causada por semejante desfachatez de trino, horas después la congresista electa Fernanda Cabal publica en su cuenta de twitter “Jamás cuestionaría la grandeza literaria de Gabo. Eso es indiscutible. Su afinidad con el castrismo sí. Y su indiferencia con Colombia”; con esto habrá querido decir que los escritos de Gabo estaban distanciados con su forma de ver el mundo. Ante esto solo queda decir que por muy fantásticas que fueran sus historias, los personajes de Gabo jamás estuvieron demasiado lejos de la realidad y en palabras del autor “A los demonios no hay que creerles ni cuando dicen la verdad”, no podemos olvidar quienes son y con quien tienen nexos.
By wanting to avoid the fact that the country's official, common, and political violence obligated Gabriel García Márquez to live in exile and by hoping to smooth over the outrage caused by such disrespect, elected congresswoman Fernanda Cabal, publishes this hours later on her Twitter account: “I would never question Gabo's literary greatness. That is indisputable. His affinity towards Castro's regime and his indifference towards Colombia, however, is disputable.” She may have meant to say that Gabo's view of the world and his writings were separate from each other. Therefore, it is only left to say that no matter how fantastical his stories were, Gabo's characters were never too far from reality and in the author's words, “There is no reason to believe demons [tell the truth], not even when they tell the truth.” We can't forget who they are and who they have connections with.
On the website, Las 2 Orillas, Javier Mauricio Santoyo throws harsh criticism towards Ms. Cabal and has a firm opinion regarding Jaime Garzón and the far right [en]:
Es mejor un funeral para el Nobel lejos de este país, con políticos y mafias, que no quieren a personas de su talla, que fueron capaces de matar a Jaime Garzón, y ahora quieren pisotear el recuerdo y la obra del verdadero Gran Colombiano.
It would be better to hold the Nobel laureate's funeral far away from this country; away from politicians and mafias that reject people like him, that were capable of killing Jaime Garzón, and that now want to trample the memory and work of the true Great Colombian.