Comedians Hugo Sousa (Portuguese), Gilmário Vemba (Angolan), and Murilo Couto (Brazilian) — known as ‘Tons de Comédia’ — who were detained in Mozambique, landed in Portugal late Monday, criticizing the “inhumane treatment” they faced at the airport in that country.
“The treatment was inhumane. The airport in Mozambique is not equipped to accommodate people. As Angolans and Portuguese, we are exempt from visas, the show was already canceled, there was no risk of fleeing. We had a ticket for the next day, we had everything,” Gilmário Vemba told reporters at the airport.
When asked if they would return to perform the show, the three comedians responded: “If there are guarantees that none of this will happen again.”
“We travel a lot around the world and prepare for all the countries we visit to ensure that nothing goes wrong. We are three people, it’s a big logistical task and it hasn’t happened in any other country. Neither here in Europe, nor in Angola, nor in São Tomé,” Gilmário emphasized.
Hugo Sousa also remarked, regarding news about not having work visas, that they cannot conduct a tour “of this magnitude and not take it seriously”. “There were 1,300 to 1,500 people waiting. We heard that politicians were going to be there.”
Regarding whether the refusal of entry was politically motivated, Gilmário Vemba emphasized, “That’s a question that must be asked to the government of Mozambique.”
“From my side, I cannot assert that it was that. They claimed it was because we didn’t have the so-called cultural activities visa. If yes, if no, I can’t affirm. I can only say what was said at the airport and how we were treated,” he said, noting that he is a friend of Venâncio Mondlane.
What happened? Recall
The comedians Hugo Sousa (Portuguese), Gilmário Vemba (Angolan), and Murilo Couto (Brazilian) — ‘Tons de Comédia’ — were detained on Sunday at Maputo airport, Mozambique, while attempting to enter the country to perform a show scheduled for that afternoon (July 20).
“First of all, we want to apologize to everyone already at the theater. We are here at Maputo airport and encountered a problem, which we are still not sure what it is,” explained Hugo Sousa, adding: “They are not allowing us to enter the country.”
The ‘Tons de Comédia’ show was scheduled for that Sunday afternoon but ended up being canceled. The remaining performances are now planned for several Brazilian cities.
This Monday, the director-general of the Mozambican National Migration Service (Senami) justified the refusal of entry to three comedians as they attempted to enter with a tourist visa when they intended to perform a show.
“They came to the country but did not comply with the criteria for which they were coming. They were coming to give a show, a cultural activity,” said the director-general, Zainedine Danane, questioned by Lusa on the sidelines of an event marking the 50th anniversary of Senami, in Maputo.
Also this Monday, ‘Tons de Comédia’, in a statement, explained that after disembarking and before approaching the immigration counter, they were approached “by an authority agent” who requested their passports, “claiming they would be given priority due to the closeness of the show.”
When the group proceeded to the immigration counter, “the same agent requested the cultural activities visa.”
“The group replied that they had requested it only for Murilo Couto, as being Brazilian, he could not benefit from the visa exemption. For this purpose, he was notified to present proof of stay in Maputo, duly stamped by the hotel. This document was sent a few minutes after their request in the days before the trip, but there was never any response,” it reads.
Since they “had all necessary documentation, the group was willing to proceed with the border visa and make the corresponding payment,” considering there was a “price list” displayed at the counters available for that purpose.
It should be noted that according to Lusa, a Showtime representative explained that the goal was to obtain the cultural activities visa at the airport and proceed with the trip and the show.
The ‘Tons de Comédia’ group, which was prevented from entering Mozambique on Sunday, revealed that they were willing to purchase the “cultural activities visa” — initially requested for Murilo Couto, as he is Brazilian — to enter the country and perform the scheduled show.
[Updated at 20:12]
