PhotoGustavo Dudamel, the star conductor, issued his strongest statement yet about the violent political unrest convulsing his native Venezuela, saying on Thursday that “we must stop ignoring the just cry of the people suffocated by an intolerable crisis.”Mr. Dudamel, who has sometimes faced criticism for failing to distance himself from the Venezuelan government as the nation has spiraled into political and economic chaos, spoke out after a young musician was reportedly killed in street protests. Mr. Dudamel, the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is a proud product of El Sistema, Venezuela’s music education program, which enjoys crucial government support, and he remains music director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, which originated as a part of El Sistema. At least 30 people have died in the protests. News agencies report that one of the most recent protesters to be killed was Armando Cañizales, a young musician. Here is Mr. Dudamel’s statement, in its entirety:

Source: New York Times May 04, 2017 17:03 UTC