​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland). He is an icon in Panama and is much admired throughout Latin America, and managed to attract 18% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos for a five-year term. He holds a law degree from the University of Panama and a master's in international law from Harvard University. He is married to singer Luba Mason. Description above from the Wikipedia article Rubén Blades, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

• 2026Campeón Gabacho
• 2026Pedro Navaja — Author
• 2025Salsa Lives — Ruben Blades
• 2024Black Butterflies — Songs
• 2021Red Pill — Rocky
• 2019Operation Just Cause — Music
• 2016Hands of Stone — Carlos Eleta
• Fear the Walking Dead — Daniel Salazar
• 2014Yo soy la salsa
• 2013The Counselor — Jefe
• 2012Outlaws - For Greater Glory — Président Calles
• 2012Safe House — Carlos Villar
• 2011Rubén Blades: Todos Vuelven Live, Vol. 1
• 2011Rubén Blades: Todos Vuelven Live, Vol. 2
• 2011The Next Season — Benito
• 2011¡Sonó, Sonó… Tite Curet!
• 2009Spoken Word — Cruz-Sr.
• 2008La clave
• 2004Secuestro Express — Carla's Father
• 2003Assassination Tango — Miguel
• 2003Imagining Argentina — Silvio Ayala
• 2003Once Upon a Time in Mexico — Jorge, Retired FBI Agent
• 2003Spin — Ernesto
• 2003The Maldonado Miracle — Cruz
• 2002Empire — Original Music Composer
• 2002Encuentro
• 2000All the Pretty Horses — Rocha
• Gideon's Crossing — Dr. Max Cabranes
• 1999Cradle Will Rock — Diego Rivera
• 1998A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on Broadway
• 1998Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Live In Venezuela — Rubén Blades
• 1997Chinese Box — Jim
• 1997From Son to Salsa
• 1997The Devil's Own — Edwin Diaz
• 1996Al compás de un sentimiento: la música de Pedro Flores
• 1996Scorpion Spring — Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa
• 1994A Million to Juan — Bartender
• 1994Color of Night — Hector
• 1993Life with Mikey — Angie's Dad (uncredited)
• 1993Miracle on Interstate 880 — Pastor Beruman
• The X-Files — Conrad Lozano
• 1991Crazy From the Heart — Ernesto Ontiveros
• 1991Just cause, ¿para quién? — Music
• 1991One Man’s War — Perrone
• 1991Rabbit Ears - Joseph and His Brothers — Narrator (voice)
• 1991The Josephine Baker Story — Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
• 1991The Super — Marlon
• 1990Mo' Better Blues — Petey
• 1990Predator 2 — Danny Archuleta
• 1990Q & A — Original Music Composer
• 1990The Heart of the Deal
• 1990The Two Jakes — Mickey Nice
• 1989Dead Man Out — Ben
• 1989Disorganized Crime — Carlos Barrios
• 1989The Lemon Sisters — C.W.
• 1988Coverup: Behind the Iran Contra Affair — Music
• 1988Homeboy — Doctor
• 1988Oliver & Company — Songs
• 1988The Milagro Beanfield War — Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
• 1988The Story of Fausta — Original Music Composer
• 1987Critical Condition — Louis
• 1987Fatal Beauty — Carl Jimenez
• 1985Crossover Dreams — Rudy Veloz
• 1984By the Green Trail — Music
• 1984Peter Knife — Songs
• 1983Ligia Elena — Music
• 1983The Last Fight — Andy "Kid" Clave
• 1983When the Mountains Tremble — Original Music Composer
• Armadillo United — Coach Yepez
• Porto Rico

Appearances as themselves (24)

• 2026Bajañí — Self
• 2024Stay Homas. The Band That Shouldn’t Exist — Self - Singer
• 2024Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple — Self
• 2021Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York — Self (archive footage)
• 2020El accidente feliz — Self (Archive Footage)
• 2019Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage — Self
• 2018John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons — Self
• 2018Ruben Blades Is Not My Name — Self
• 2014Invasion — Self
• Músicos de Latinoamérica — Self
• 2007Lo mejor de nuestra música popular: 15 años de éxitos — Self
• 2005The Hunters and the Hunted: The Making of 'Predator 2' — Self (archive footage)
• 2004En mi país — Self
• Las Lunas del Auditorio — Self
• 2002Las caras lindas de Tite Curet — Self
• Latin Grammy Awards — Self
• Arthouse — Self
• 1995Somos un solo pueblo — Self
• 1985The Making of Sun City — Self
• 1985The Return of Rubén Blades — himself
• Late Night with David Letterman — Self - Musical Guest
• 1982Rubén Blades: un Rey de la salsa — Self
• 1979Beats of the Heart: Salsa — Self
• Pa'l Pueblo: Fania for the People — Self