Biography for
Rubén Blades More at IMDbPro »

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Ran for President of Panama as founder and head of the Papa Egoro party in 1994. He came in third behind the two leading Panamanian parties. However, he won a respectable 18% of the vote. His party gained enough seats in the Panamanian Legislature to ensure its continuance and a place in national politics, until it was dissolved in 1999.

He won his first Grammy for the album, "Encenas", and has won 4 more in Latin categories, a Latin Grammy, and one in World Music for the album "Mundo.".

In Predator 2 (1990), he played a character with the last name Archuleta who is killed by the bad guy, and in Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), his character avenges the death of a partner with the last name Archuleta.

Nowadays he's the Minister of Tourism in Panama.

His grandfather, Reuben Blades, was born on the British island of St. Lucia.

The son of a bongo player turned police detective and a mother who taught piano, Blades grew up with music but studied law at the University of Panama. In 1974, at 26, he landed in New York City with just $100 in his pocket and a dream to make it as a singer.

Blades uses the English pronunciation (rhymes with "glades"), as Ruben's grandfather Reuben Blades was English, a native of St. Lucia.

Brother of Robert Blades.

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