Nadim Cherfan, founder and choreographer of the group “Mayas”, denounced following winning the final America’s Gate Talentamong the Lebanese political class, calling, from the moment he arrived in Beirut, on Friday, for a “revolution” in Lebanon.
Dozens of the dancers’ relatives welcomed the band with flowers at Beirut airport. Thousands of Lebanese were stuck in front of television screens to follow the arrival of the band, which was a source of pride for them, at a time when their country was wracked by an unprecedented economic and political crisis.
Cherfan told AFP at the airport: “We do not need you (the politicians). We are the Mayas band. We were able to raise the name of Lebanon without you,” expressing the Lebanese people’s resentment over the political situation in their country.
Sharfan added that citizens “should destroy all the banks and turn the country upside down, and turn the tables on the heads of all politicians.”
Amazement and ridicule
Founder’s announcement has sparked “Mayas” band His desire to make a revolution in Lebanon led to a lot of controversy among the pioneers of social media platforms.
Ali Abu Khader was surprised by the invitation of an artistic performance group to “revolution, chaos, storming banks and killing presidents,” wondering in his tweet on Twitter: “Where is art and their beautiful Lebanon?”
Abu Khader continued, skeptical regarding the support of the American committee to obtain the victory, “so that they continue to exacerbate the situation and pressure by fighting the honorable, even with bare pants,” as he put it.
For his part, Adham responded to the call for a revolution in the country, saying: “Come on, people, for they have made leadership for you.”
Commenting on the value of the prize that the band won following winning first place, as well as the opportunity it had to perform in Las Vegas, Naim Halawani sarcastically tweeted: “Salama (Riad Salameh is the current governor of the Banque du Liban) congratulates Mayass band for winning a million dollars and says to them: I’m stuck, Go in time.”
The band’s victory represented a rare moment of unity in Lebanon, which is experiencing its worst crisis since its founding. In an indication of the increasing popular discontent over the situation in the country, Lebanese depositors stormed on Friday at least five banks in different locations, in attempts to recover part of their deposits, as part of a new episode of similar incidents.
Shirfan continued, addressing the political class: “Your duty is to feed the hungry people and provide electricity.”
