Mexico was set to be represented at the OTI Festival 1972 with the song "", written by Roberto Cantoral, and performed by . The Mexican participating broadcaster, (TSM), had selected its entry through a national televised competition with several phases. The song, was disqualified by the (OTI) Program Commission because its lyrics didn't comply with the rules of the competition for going against "the idiosyncratic sensitivity or way of life of the Ibero-American peoples". They requested TSM to send a replacement song, but the broadcaster refused to do so.
National stage (TSM) held a national competition with four televised qualifying rounds and a final to select its entry for the 1st edition of the OTI Festival. This first edition of the National OTI Festival featured 31 songs, of which sixteen reached the final.
The shows were presented by Raúl Velasco, and were broadcast on within the show . The musical director was , who conducted the orchestra when required.
+ Competing entries on the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1972 Song Artist Songwriter(s) Conductor "" Sola Héctor Meneses "" José María Napoleón José María Napoleón "" Raúl Marti "" Ethel Roberto Cantoral "" Óscar Chávez Chamín Correa "" Patrizio Chamín Correa "" Alejandra José María Napoleón "" Carlos Gerardo Carlos Gerardo "" Edy Martín Óscar García R. "" Carlos María "" Mariano Vega Mariano Vega "" Aidee del Río Felipe Gil "" Teodoro Carlos Trejo Zambrano "" Juan Luis Juan Luis "" Grupo Alfa Zeta Arnulfo M. Vega "" Alejandra Daniel Hernández "" Carlos Gerardo Carlos Gerardo "" Carlos Blanco Carlos Blanco "" Raúl Marti Eduardo Piña "" Martha Ventura Felipe Gil "" Sergio Esquivel Sergio Esquivel "" Óscar Chávez Óscar Chávez "" Juan Gabriel Juan Gabriel "" Teodoro "" Freddy Pérez Valencia "" Juan Gabriel Juan Gabriel "" Raúl Marti "" Alfredo Cuevas "" Ethel Andrés Córdova "" Sola Felipe Gil "" Roberto Cantoral
Qualifying rounds The four qualifying rounds were held on Sundays 27 August, and 3, 10, and 17 September 1972. The sixteen highest-scoring entries among the 31 competing advanced to the final.
+ Result of the qualifying rounds of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1972 Song Artist Result First qualifying round – 27 August 1972 1 "" Raúl Marti Qualified 2 "" Qualified 3 "" Juan Gabriel Qualified 4 "" Ethel 5 "" Óscar Chávez 6 "" Aidee del Río 7 "" Carlos Blanco 8 "" Freddy Pérez Valencia Second qualifying round – 3 September 1972 1 "" José María Napoleón Qualified 2 "" Grupo Alfa Zeta 3 "" Patrizio Qualified 4 "" Martha Ventura 5 "" Alfredo Cuevas 6 "" Ethel Qualified 7 "" Juan Gabriel Third qualifying round – 10 September 1972 1 "" Alejandra 2 "" Teodoro 3 "" Sola Qualified 4 "" Edy Martín 5 "" Raúl Marti Qualified 6 "" Sergio Esquivel 7 "" Carlos Gerardo 8 "" Óscar Chávez Qualified Fourth qualifying round – 17 September 1972 1 "" Mariano Vega Qualified 2 "" Carlos María Qualified 3 "" Carlos Gerardo Qualified 4 "" Sola Qualified 5 "" Alejandra Qualified 6 "" Teodoro Qualified 7 "" Raúl Marti Qualified 8 "" Juan Luis
Final The final was held on Sunday 24 September 1972. The winner was "", written by Roberto Cantoral, and performed by . The festival ended with a reprise of the winning entry.
+ Result of the final of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1972 Song Artist Result 1 "" Raúl Marti 3 2 "" Sola 2 3 "" 1 4 "" Ethel 4 5 "" Raúl Marti 6 "" Raúl Marti 6 7 "" Sola 5 8 "" Carlos Gerardo 7 9 "" José María Napoleón 10 "" Alejandra 11 "" Teodoro 12 "" Juan Gabriel 13 "" Mariano Vega 14 "" Óscar Chávez 15 "" Carlos María 16 "" Patrizio
At the OTI Festival After TSM sent to the (OTI) the documentation confirming "" as its entry for the festival, the OTI Program Commission disqualified the song because its lyrics didn't comply with the rules of the competition for going against "the idiosyncratic sensitivity or way of life of the Ibero-American peoples". They requested TSM to send a replacement song, but the broadcaster refused to do so. Mexico had been drawn to perform between Colombia and Peru.
Following the disqualification, Roberto Cantoral sued TSM for breach of contract, and claimed that the disqualification generated "a severe and unfair boycott" against him within record labels and radio stations.
References