Baseball fans know how much passion Mayito Rivera, a former singer Pinar famous orchestra Los Van Van, feels for this sport. Therefore, he chose to celebrate his 50th birthday surrounded by public and athletes in Capitan San Luis stadium, of this western province.

True to his team, he sat on a box over third base, right near the players of Pinar del Rio, because he did not want to miss a detail of the plays.

The fans gave him a standing ovation when the local audio announced his presence and congratulations on his birthday on behalf of all Pinar del Rio citizens.

Mayito is a figure of Pinar del Rio and the Cuban culture. He is beloved for his charisma. We considered it a very timely occasion for an interview, on what he agreed with the simplicity that characterizes him.

The first thing any fan would have asked him was what group accompanies him right now and where he is giving shows, because for the average citizen it is a little-known information. So we learned that "after 20 years with Los Van Van, I decided to start my own band called Mayito Rivera y los hijos de Cuba (Mayito Rivera and the sons of Cuba). They are young musicians from Pinar del Rio, the group lies in this province and is a band that has three years of establishment, we are doing international tours and still have not screened our national work."

- Some say you're a native of San Juan y Martinez, others say that you are from the capital city. Can you please, clear this question?

Well, I am native from the city of Pinar del Río, I was born and raised here. Since very little I was closely linked to Rio Seco, to the people of tobacco, because my family is from there and also from the town of San Juan y Martinez.

I am from a large family. I am the youngest of nine children. I am very proud to be family to Alfredo Rodriguez "El Indio", also Maria Elena Lazo, Arleny Rodriguez, I am her uncle. We have a large musical family.

- On more than one occasion these days we've seen you in the stands, are you on vacation over here?

I came to celebrate my 50 years, today January 19. I had a few days off and that coincided with the series Pinar del Río-Granma and here I am. Capitan San Luis stadium is a site of great importance because here, as a child, I began to see the ball games and I'm still with that passion.

- Out of the players of Pinar, for whom do you feel more sympathy?

Luis Giraldo Casanova and Alfonso Urquiola, the great ones of another era. However, from the current times I am very pleased to say that I am an admirer of William Saavedra and Donald Duarte.

Livan Moinelo told the Digital Site Radio Guamá that he has been offered contracts of more than six figures, but he says that he does not change this land for anything, you who have traveled throughout the world what assessment do you have for the words of this young player?

"Well, I know the world well, I have been fortunate to travel, I really feel much identified with these words. After one knows what the world is like, how this land actually is, these are words to be respected with dignity because truly one's land is the greatest thing there is."

- When they announced your presence on the local audio, someone close to me in the stands made a comment related to an answer that you gave in the United States to a television channel, but I did not get to understand it because of the noise of the fans, could you refer to this?

When we went to America in 1990, our band, Los Van Van, at a certain moment we had the responsibility to make the big concert; Well, there we had a meeting with reporters live on American television by channel 51 and someone addressed me personally in a rough manner.

They asked me about my political ideas and I said "Well, yes I am a revolutionary and "long live Fidel, long live Cuba," that brought me many problems. Imagine, at that time saying that in the midst of American television, a member of the Los Van Van Orchesta, it was very strong, I do not regret, it was a very significant and historical event.

Mayito Rivera, no doubt, is a citizen from Pinar who is proud of being born in this province; he is an icon of Cuban music and his passion for baseball, especially for the Vegueros of Pinar del Rio, led him to celebrate his 50th birthday surrounded by his team, that is why Vladimir Baños gave away to him his 100th victory in national series.
Listen to his words (Version in Spansih)