October 23, 2009

By Associated Press

The mayor of a Colombian provincial capital says he's canceling a January concert by the Puerto Rican band Calle 13 over a T-shirt worn by its lead singer.

Mayor Juan Manuel Llano of Manizales said Monday that Rene Perez, or "Residente," insulted Colombian President Alvaro Uribe with the shirt he had on during the MTV Latino Awards show last week.

The black-and-white shirt's double-entendre could be taken as criticism of Uribe over a deal to allow U.S. bases in Colombia, and as a suggestion the president has ties to illegal far-right militias.

A representative of Calle 13 and the production company Arco Publicidad did not immediately respond.

It was the second time in three days that a mayor upset by Perez canceled an event by the Grammy-winning Calle 13.

On Saturday, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, nixed a Halloween concert in the U.S. island's capital over Perez's comments during the MTV show insulting the territory's governor for laying off state workers.

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