August 24, 2010

By By Leila Cobo, Miami

Mexican singer/songwriter Aleks Syntek has yet to return to Twitter after shutting down his postings on the social network Aug. 19. Syntek, who has over 408,000 followers on twitter, wrote in his last posting that his decision was prompted by reaction to ?El Futuro es Milenario,? the song he co-wrote with Jaime L?pez. The song was named the official theme of the Mexican Bicentennial celebration.

?I?m retiring from twitter for some time,? he wrote. ?The reason is the controversy generated in this social network with the Bicentennial theme to be used in the celebrations Sept. 15 and to the attitude of some who have launched a negative campaign and who have taken this as a personal attack against me [?] Sadly, reading the hundreds of people who support my work implies reading from dozens of people intent on stabbing me in the stomach.?

Syntek is not the only Latin act to defect from twitter. On Aug. 20, Argentine rocker Andr?s Calamaro shut down his account with an anti-twitter rant posted on his blog.

?Despicable ?democracy,?? he wrote, ?and how poorly understood. Of course freedom of speech isn?t an expression of liberty. What a waste of time, writing for Homer Simpson?s children? [?] participating in a chorus of subnormals, generators of light concepts,? wrote Calamaro, although he doesn?t give details on what prompted him to leave the social network behind. ?140 characters,? he added, referring to the Twitter format. ?You can shove them deep up your xxx.?

Subscribe to Billboard magazine today!