Motuda Florcita

Raúl Florcita Alarcón Rojas (Curicó, October 15, 1945), better known as Florcita Motuda, is a Chilean musician and politician noted for his experimental and extravagant work., and who has participated in various festivals, such as OTI, Viña del Mar and, more recently, Lollapalooza Chile 2016. He stands out for his variation in styles, both in his solo career and in his two groups, where He has ventured from beat and pop, through surf rock to funk where he has collaborated with artists such as Chancho en Piedra, Sinergia, Jorge González and Luis Jara, among others.

Between March 11, 2018 and March 11, 2022, he served as deputy of District No. 17 of the Maule Region, representing the Humanist Party, at that time part of the Frente Amplio.

Musical career

He was born in the city of Curicó, in the Maule region, in the central area of Chile, son of Elsa Rojas Aliste. He lived in a small nearby town, La Huerta de Mataquito, with his two parents and his aunts who were teachers. At the age of 11, his father José Raúl Alarcón (a former police officer) died, as he himself points out, affected by meningitis caused by a neglected cavity. He came to Santiago to study at the National Conservatory of Music of the University of Chile, where he formed the band Los Stéreos and then Los Sonny's. He worked in the permanent orchestra of the Saturday television program Sábados Gigantes , hosted by presenter Mario Kreutzberger, 'Don Francisco'.

In those years he came into contact with the Humanist movement and actively participated in it. There he assumed the doctrine of New Humanism. She created a character to overcome the obstacles in her relationship with the opposite sex and make room for her artistic expression: Florcita Motuda , which, according to Alarcón, reflects the flowering of her life. In those years he contracted his first marriage to Sandy, a Bolivian citizen. He also legally changed his name in those years to Raúl Florcita Alarcón Rojas. He worked as a music teacher in schools in Santiago.

In the 1970s he began to participate in television programs as a leading character. In 1977 she participated in the Viña del Mar Festival with the song Brevemente gente (Del Espacio...) , a song with which she won the award for Best Performer. The following year she participated, representing her country, in the OTI Festival, held in Santiago de Chile with Pobrecito mortal and obtained seventh place in the international competition.

He would represent Chile again in the OTI competition in 1981, with the song Pensémoslo (If today we have to sing to so many people, let's think about it), with which he obtained fifth place.

During the 90s he was considered a cult artist and a reference for new generations of rock musicians. He participated in various workshops and music schools as a Creativity teacher.

In 1998, he participated for the third time in the OTI Festival in San José, Costa Rica, obtaining first place with the song End of the century: It's time to become inflamed, depressed or transformed, Being the second Chilean to win this contest, after the singer-songwriter Fernando Ubiergo in 1984.

In 2005 he also participated in the singing talent program Rojo VIP, on the TVN channel where the biggest and most emblematic stars of Chilean music met; and she is the VIP version of the eponymous singing and dancing talent show. She took third place, while singer-songwriter Buddy Richard wins the competition.

He was honored at the 2018 version of the Olmué Huaso Festival.

Political career

He was one of the founders of the Humanist Party of Chile (PH) in 1984. He actively participates in television programs as a representative of Humanism and the opposition to the military dictatorship. Once he was defeated at the polls, Raúl Florcita Alarcón was one of the 5 candidates of the Humanist Party in the 1989 parliamentary elections, for a district ceded by the Concertación (District No. 52), on which occasion he achieved a 6, 19% of the votes, which did not allow him to be elected.

In 1999 he actively participated in Tomás Hirsch's presidential campaign, and in 2004 he once again contributed his creativity to the municipal campaign of the Juntos Podemos pact. In 2005 he was registered as a candidate for deputy for the Humanist Party for district No. 26 (La Florida), also within the Juntos Podemos pact, on which occasion he obtained 6,390 votes, equivalent to 4.15% of the total. of votes; percentage that did not allow him to be elected.

He ran as a candidate for deputy for district No. 24, commune of La Reina and Peñalolén, in the parliamentary elections of November 2013]. He obtained 4,459 votes, equivalent to 8.53% support, a figure that did not allow his election.

In the 2017 parliamentary elections he presented himself as a parliamentary candidate, being elected deputy for district 17 of the Maule Region, within the Frente Amplio pact, for the period 2018-2022. He obtained 6,482 votes corresponding to 2.65% of the total votes validly cast.

Alarcón attended his first day as a legislator at the Chilean Congress dressed in his white cape with black moons and stars, in addition to the antennas on his head. The musician used his “gala” suit to attend the Plenary Session of Congress and the beginning of the new legislature, where his wardrobe did not go unnoticed by the photographic and television cameras. He justified his decision by saying: «Imagine if I arrived dressed in a suit and tie, what would the headline be? They didn't even pay him and they already bought it. It is a necessary political fact; It also represents the diversity that our country has.

He assumed office on March 11, 2018 and became a member of the permanent commissions on Human Rights and Native Peoples; Culture and the Arts, which he presided over between October 14, 2020 and January 5, 2021; and Sports and Recreation. Likewise, he was a member of the Special Investigative Commission (CEI) on JUNAEB and JUNJI Acts related to the execution of the School and Nursery Feeding Program.

During the period he also joined the permanent commissions of Economy, Development; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; Consumer Protection and Tourism; and the Family.

He was part of the Joint Humanist Parliamentary Committee - Social Green Regionalist Federation - Green Ecologist - Independents. Likewise, he was a member of the following Interparliamentary Groups: Chilean-Croat; Chilean-Ecuadorian; Chilean-Finnish; Chilean-Hungarian; Chilean-Palestinian; and Chilean-South African.

Controversies

Complaint for sexual abuse

On January 6, 2021, the deputy was accused of sexual abuse through Twitter. The Ethics Commission of the Chamber of Deputies opened an investigation into the case spread on social networks, which led to the resignation of deputy Florcita Motuda as president of the Culture Commission. After this accusation, a new complaint was added for a eventual harassment of an official of the Chilean Copyright Society (SCD). On January 8, she announced her resignation from the Humanist Party.

Chlorine dioxide recommendation

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alarcón asked the authorities to consider treatment with chlorine dioxide, a chemical compound known as a "miracle mineral supplement", whose sale as a medicine is prohibited by the Institute of Public Health (ISP) due to its toxicity. The deputy received harsh criticism from the scientific community and the Minister of Health, Enrique Paris, who warned that the element is dangerous for the population. In September 2020, five people were reported intoxicated after consuming the product..

Detention

On April 8, 2021, he was arrested by Carabineros de Chile for circulating without a pass during the curfew of the COVID-19 Pandemic. He was also driving his car without documents and with an expired driving license. Later he declared that "he didn't know, it was a joke."

Personal life

He was married three times: first to the Bolivian Sandy Pérez, then to the lawyer Loreto Silva and later to Sara Campos Sallato, sister of the actor Cristián Campos. He has two children: Francisca Olivia Florcita de la Paz, also a musician, with a degree in Music and drummer for Golem; and Lucas Merlín Alarcón.

Electoral history

1989 parliamentary elections

• Parliamentary elections of 1989, by District 52 (Cunco, Curarrehue, Gorbea, Loncoche, Pucón, Toltén and Villarrica)

2005 parliamentary elections

• 2005 Parliamentary Elections to Deputy by District 26 (La Florida)

2013 parliamentary elections

• 2013 Parliamentary Elections to Deputy by District 24 (La Reina and Peñalolén)

2017 parliamentary elections

• 2017 parliamentary elections, to Deputated by the 17th district (Constitution, Curepto, Curicó, Empedrado, Hualañé, Licantén, Maule, Molina, Pelarco, Pencahue, Rauco, Río Claro, Romeral, Sagrada Familia, San Clemente, San Rafael, Talca, Teno and Vichuquén)

Discography

His discography includes albums with the bands Los Stereos, Los Sonny's, as a soloist, and participation in various others.

With Los Stereos

• 1965: The big party

With The Sonny's

• 1967: Discote
• 1968: Distorted
• 1968: The good, the bad and the ugly
• 1975: On TV

As a soloist

• 1977: Florcita Motuda
• 1980: They persecute me by ugly
• 1982: Chicken, get out of your shell and help others
• 1988: The party of the no!!!
• 1989: Flower of triumph
• 1991: Dance. Dance to regain strength
• 1993: Cartagenas 2000
• 1998: End of century, welcome to the millennium, all guests!
• 2005: There's still a future.
• 2006: Florcita Motuda concert (Red Ball).

Collaborations

• 1987: Several artists - Voices without borders
• 2000: Various Artists - Song of all in Chile
• 2000: Various Artists - Tribute to Prisoners
• 2002: Various Artists - Urban Symphony
• 2003: Various artists - Generations. Two times in duet.
• 2004: Various Artists - Rock and bars, sounds from prison
• 2006: Various artists - Cathedral in a coma

Awards, nominations and participation in festivals and competitions

Other awards

• 2011 - National Humor Prize of Chile