I’m happy to see that genius Brazilian songwriter Gilberto Gil, Brazil’s Culture Minister (who I have admired for many years), has repudiated an image that was shown at a recent concert by a psychotic Bush-hating video jockey: Singing Minister Disowns ‘Die, Bush’ Call. (Hat tip: Baikal.)

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil’s culture minister and singing superstar Gilberto Gil is not calling for the death of President Bush, whatever concert-goers might have thought.

Gil, 62, took time off from his government role this weekend to play shows in Sao Paulo, treating fans to many of his own classics as well as songs by Bob Marley and John Lennon.

During “Soy Loco Por Ti America” (I’m Crazy About You, America) — a song from the 1960s about Latin American dreams of liberation — the visual display behind the band flashed up an image of the U.S. leader with a noose around his neck and the slogan “Morra, Bush, Morra” (Die, Bush, Die).

It also featured portraits of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara and Mexican rebel Pancho Villa.

Some Brazilians applauded — many in this country do not approve of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq — but some Americans in the audience were seething.

It turns out that Gil was unaware of the image. Jodele Larcher, the video jockey who handled the visuals, chose the image without consulting the singer, Gil’s press agent Marcus Vinicius told Reuters on Tuesday.

“The VJ puts the image that he wants and he thought it was appropriate for this song,” Vinicius said.

“It was without Gil’s permission and Gil asked him to take it off” for later shows in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, he added.