‘We wanted to send a very clear message to Thugs In Power;’ Hundreds rally in Miami in support of planned protests in Cuba – CBS Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Miami on Sunday in the hope that their cry for freedom will reach the Cuban people, who are planning to take to the streets on Monday. to launch anti-government protests.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “against the dictatorship” or “Freedom, freedom” to reject the Cuban regime that has ruled the island for 62 years.
Earlier in the day, dozens of vehicles gathered at Tamiami Park to join the caravan to the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami.
At around 2:30 p.m., CBS4 cameras showed about 100 protesters gathering in downtown Miami, chanting for a free Cuba, while holding signs and flags.
Prominent Cuban activist Rosa María Payá tweeted:
“We are going to #LaHabana to civil fight with our people this #15NCuba until freedom. #SOSCuba”
Nos vamos ah #LaHabana a machar cívicamente con nuestro pueblo este # 15NCuba hasta la libertad.#SOSCuba#CubaDecide #CambioDeSistema pic.twitter.com/I57bjjBxCt
– Rosa María Payá A. (@RosaMariaPaya) November 14, 2021
An emotional protester, Barbara Diaz, was close to tears as she told CBS4, “What brought me here is the love of freedom, the love of my country and the injustices done over the past 62 years. .”
“I love America. This is my second home, but for me, Cuba is where I was born. The people there deserve better. They deserve freedom and justice and freedom of speech. I have family there and many have nothing to eat. They have no drugs and no aspirin.”
Click here to see pictures from Sunday’s protests
“Many Cuban-Americans left the country in the 1960s to flee the revolution,” says her husband, Ismael Diaz. We came here to come to this country but one day we were hoping to be able to return to a free Cuba. We are here to show our support for those who are fighting hard in Cuba. They are our brothers and sisters, who are still shedding their blood to win their freedom. For a quick change, it will be done within the Cuban government.”
Watch: Massive rally held in downtown Miami
Caravan organized by the Cuban Resistance Council.
READ MORE: Cubans once again took to the streets to protest against the communist government
Organizer Orlando Gutierrez spoke to CBS4’s Peter D’Oench on Sunday morning.
Here’s what he had to say about today’s activities:
“We will gather here and have a protest. There are members of parliament from different European countries coming to deal with those gathered here, and then we’ll go down 8 Street east, then Biscayne Avenue. “
“And we will be stationed at the Freedom Tower at noon.”
“All eyes are on Cuba, the whole world must look at that regime. We are trying to prevent a bloodbath in Cuba. Arrest has begun. There are many people arrested because of the kidnapping regime. We want to send a very clear message to the thugs in power in Havana that the world is watching what they do, and that they will have to bear the consequences for their human rights abuses.” .
“We have seen very clear US commitments by the European Union to add sanctions against the regime. The regime has very few financial resources, mainly European banks. So the sanctions there will be very effective. It is important to support the Cuban people. In the past few hours, we have seen that the Catholic Church has raised its voice calling for the regime not to repress.”
Gutierrez, 56, is an author and community leader who came to this country from Cuba when he was 7 years old.
Protests are again planned on the island this weekend, with the main rally taking place on Monday.
Throughout the summer, protests in Cuba made history with videos of Cubans taking to the streets chanting ‘libertad’ or freedom.
Calls for freedom were met with arrests across the island nation.
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Sunday’s protests will end at the Versailles Restaurant on Calle 8 in the afternoon.
