Acapulco Festival: why the great event where Luis Miguel shone was canceled

Sunday morning, May 26, 1991 began the first broadcast of the Acapulco Festival, a Televisa production, which would be repeated for 16 consecutive editions the last two Sundays in May, until 2005 when the festival was canceled.

The first broadcast began with the program Always on Sunday, led by Raúl Velasco. Based in the Acapulco International Center, taking advantage of the fact that the port is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. In said broadcast, nationally and internationally recognized artists filled the Teotihuacán Hall with their appearances, welcoming the Acafest.

It was the guerrerense, Joan Sebastián who opened the show, followed by Gloria Trevi, who gave the medal of participation to the following invited artists, Los Bukis, repeating the delivery of the medal to the following group, Pandora, Cathy Dennis, Garibaldi, Yuri, Stephanie from Monaco, closing the first day with Lucía Méndez.

For the following days, Monday 27, artists such as Luis Enrique, Estudiantina La Salle, Ricardo Montaner, Julio Sabala, Orquesta a la Luz, while Tuesday 28 was a day focused on rock with groups and soloists such as Alejandra Guzmán, Roxette, Gerardo and Loco Mía. On Wednesday the afternoon was cheered up by Verónica Castro, Roberto Carlos, Basia, The real Milli Vanilli, etc.

The first broadcast was a success

According to official figures, 400 million people were reached around the world, due to the broadcast to many countries including: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela, United States, Poland among others. The Government of the State of Guerrero, the Secretary of Tourism, Televisa and sponsors An event of international scope was achieved, because during eight gala nights, each artist appeared on stage and gave a show.

While the years that followed, artists such as Selena, Grupo Límite, Rocío Dúrcal, Mecano, Juan Gabriel, Lucero, Luis Miguel, Gloria Estefan, Magneto, Loco Mía, Héroes del Silencio, La Sonora Santanera, Alfredo Gutiérrez, Vicente performed. Fernández, David Bisbal, Flans, Garibaldi, Mercurio, Gloria Trevi, Joe Luciano, Paulina Rubio, Fey, Timbiriche, Marta Sánchez, Belinda, RBD, Opposite Senses, Thalía, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, El Tri, Genitallica, Inspector, Liquits, Cartel from Santa, Akwid, La Ley, Kelly Osbourne, Rod Stewart, Papa Roach, Barry White, Christina Aguilera, and more.

The end of Acafest

The fifteenth edition of the festival took place in 2005, from May 15 to 21, recognized for having 24 hours of continuous music. This being his last transmission since the Government of the State of Guerrero, at that time directed by Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, I declare that the Acapulco Festival was canceled, in the words of the then governor because the “product was finished “.

However, previously in 2002, hoteliers in the port had already requested the cancellation of the festival from the government. According to the statements of the, at that time, president of the Acapulco hoteliers and bikers, they disagreed with the festival, because over time the Televisa company stopped informing them about the artists who needed accommodation. As well as the partial reduction in rates that did not benefit profits, he also indicated that the advertising carried out by Televisa through the festival “is good but we not only live on advertising, we have to land it on income; let the authority decide and do something that benefits. “

And despite the fact that the controversy developed in 2002, with the governor of the State, René Juárez Cisneros, declared in a radio interview that they were already reviewing the issue of the functionality of the event. The official cancellation was until 2005.