La Bella Luz, a Peruvian cumbia band, announced the indefinite separation of its musical director, César Sánchez Chavesta, hours after singer Naldy Saldaña publicly accused him of alleged improper touching.
Saldaña made the accusation on the television program Magaly TV, La Firme, where she showed a video as evidence and said she had not received support from the band.
Hours after the broadcast, La Bella Luz issued an official statement announcing Sánchez's indefinite separation and said it was taking on the moment with profound responsibility. The statement did not stop the criticism and opened a new wave of questioning on social media. Production company Del Barrio Producciones separately suspended its television series La Bella Luz following the serious accusation against the musical director.
Users reject band's statement
In the comments under the band's statement, many users said an announcement was not enough. One wrote that if there had been silence, protection or a cover-up, that also needed to be answered for, and that the real test was what the band did before the case became public. Another recalled what Saldaña says she was told when she raised the issue internally, saying that when the band's fortunes eventually declined, members would be told the same thing: to get over it, as if nothing had happened.
Other users focused on the timing of the band's response, which came only after Saldaña went public on television. One asked whether the band had to wait for everything to become public before acting, calling it low. Another questioned why nobody believed her when she raised the issue earlier, demanding justice.
Several comments noted that Saldaña had asked for help before going public and said nobody helped her. One user wrote that the band could have avoided the entire situation had it acted when she sought help from what she called her musical family.
Boycott calls and a cancelled show
Alongside the criticism, calls for a boycott of the band emerged on social media. La Bella Luz was founded by Óscar Custodio, a cousin of Sánchez Chavesta. The band's current singers, including Mackeily Luján, Fernanda Urbina and Anely Dávila, issued statements rejecting violence against women and voicing solidarity with Saldaña, but their near-simultaneous posts also drew criticism online.
Club Universitario de Deportes removed La Bella Luz from the lineup for its 102nd anniversary show. The band had been scheduled to perform at U Fest, a music event set for Saturday, August 8, on the south esplanade of Estadio Monumental.
