Panama strip club owner survives attack that killed famed singer

The owner of a Panama strip club was the intended target of a fusillade of bullets that killed a famed Argentinean singer on Saturday, July 9

Henry Fariña, who owns a series of nightclubs throughout Central America, including the Elite on Calle 50 Panama, was critically wounded in an attack Saturday night in Guatemala.

Argentina singer Facundo Cabral was being driven to the airport by Fariña when the assassins opened fire. Cabral, 74, was hit by at least eight bullets.

Guatemala police said Sunday that evidence collected from the scene of the shooting indicated that Fariña, a Nicaraguan, was the intended target. He has been hospitalized in critical condition.

Fariña Fariña who owns the "Elite" nighclubs in Panama, Nicaragua,  and Costa Rica was driving his  white Range Rover, to La Aurora International Airport after a performance when it was ambushed, Also in the SUV was Cabral’s agent David Llanos who was also injured. Theyhad planned to take a hotel shuttle to the airport, but accepted a ride from Fariñas.

The SUV was ambushed by three cars carrying gunmen,

Guatemalan president Alvaro Colom called for three days national mourning after he called the  Argentinian president.

 Cabral was born in  La Plata 350 km from Buenos Aires , and from humble beginnings, rose to inspire millions around the world through his songs, poems and 66 books. One of his most famous songs was  No soy de aqui  ni soy de alla (I am not from here, I’m not from there). He sang his way around the world in 165 languages.

As a nine year old he walked 3,000 km look for work to support his mother and six siblings after they were abandone by his father abandoned them. His wife and one year-old daughter were killed in a plane crash in 1978.

At the end he was nearly blind and crippled, and was also a cancer survivor as well. He once said^]Siempre le pregunto a Dios, ¿por qué a mí tanto me diste? Me diste miseria, hambre, felicidad, lucha, luces… vi todo. Sé que hay cáncer, sífilis y primavera, y buñuelos de manzana  (I always ask God, why did you give me so much? You gave me misery, hunger, happiness, struggle, lights… I saw everything. I know there is cancer, syphilis and spring, and apple fritters). And finally murder.