Colombian Carlos Vives unveils his wax figure in a museum in Mexico City

Mexico City, Sep 6 (EFE).- Colombian Carlos Vives unveiled a statue of himself, an authentic replica of the so-called ‘King of Vallenato’, at the Wax Museum in Mexico City, which he considered “the greatest honor” he has received from the Mexican people.

“I am happy to receive this recognition from the Mexican people, that is how I feel. We have loved Mexico so much, we have been touched in the heart by its music, by its art, by its cinema, by its television,” Vives said upon receiving the award on Thursday.

“Mexico has always been a dream for us Colombians, it has always been a dream. We feel a very deep connection with Mexico and suddenly I am here today at the Wax Museum in Mexico next to so many world figures, great stars, and suddenly to be able to stay with this image near them is the greatest honor I have received from the Mexican people,” he added.

Colombian singer-songwriter Carlos Vives poses next to his wax figure this Thursday at the Wax Museum of Mexico City (Mexico). EFE/ Isaac Esquivel

Vives, 63, will have a place in the complex that currently has a collection of more than 230 figures of famous people from history, art, politics, sports, the artistic world, fantasy and horror, including Tom Cruise, Elvis Presley, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman and Mexican celebrities such as El Chavo del 8, or the athletes Hugo Sánchez or Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez, the painter Frida Kahlo and the wrestler El Santo.

The Colombian thanked all the Mexicans and “the teachers, the Wax Museum that did the work” and with whom he had the opportunity to be.

Excited to see himself, his double, although a little taller, Vives confessed that the figure was neither in his dreams nor in his plans and considered that perhaps music, which is the way he has reached “the hearts of Mexicans” is what allows him to be here today, at this moment and share it with his parents, who are not here.

“(I share it) with the Colombian musicians who inspired me, the musicians from the old towns who taught me those vallenatos that are part of my history, they are here with me, they represent a little of what I wanted to show the world, which was a beautiful and diverse tradition of speaking as it is in Colombia,” he added.

Vives is in Mexico City, where he will perform in concert at the National Auditorium next Saturday as part of his ‘El rock de mi pueblo vive’ tour, a musical celebration celebrating the sound he created more than 30 years ago and with which he crossed borders.

.