(EFE).- As they did in 2016 to celebrate the death of Fidel Castro, thousands of jubilant Cubans took to the streets in Miami, this time in support of the popular protests that broke out across Cuba, which they see as an opportunity for the change they have longed for for more than 60 years.
Sunday’s rare protests, the largest in Cuba since August 1994, came as the country battles a serious economic and health crisis, with the pandemic out of control and a severe shortage of food, medicine and other essentials, in addition to long power outages.
Related Story: Outspoken Democratic socialists in Congress silent as Communist Cuba cracks down on mass protests
“It’s over,” the main phrase of the chorus of “Patria y Vida” (Homeland and Life), the anthem of those who want change in Cuba, was sung by the crowd that overran Calle Ocho in Miami’s Little Havana, promising to remain on the street for as long as the protests last on the island.
“You are not alone” was the other slogan of the night.
As in November 2016, the scene of the rally was Versailles restaurant, a symbol like few others of the Cuban community and exiles in Miami, which was once again filled with people with a desire for freedom and to see a regime fall.
With Castro gone and his brother Raúl Castro removed from the front line of national politics, the Miami Cubans attacked President Miguel Díaz Canel, who on Sunday ordered the island’s revolutionaries to fight those who protested in the streets.
Insults against Díaz Canel also resounded outside Versailles, accompanied by a wave of Cuban flags and posters demanding the end of the dictatorship.
Hermín Soler, 82, who was imprisoned for political reasons on the island for 10 years, told Efe that Cubans have finally come out of the “dream of the revolution.”
Soler asked the people of Miami to encourage those in Cuba to rise up against the island’s communist government and to show them that they are not alone in this struggle that he developed in the jungle and in the mountains.
Many protesters carried signs calling on the international community to respond to the request of the SOS Cuba campaign and another directly appealed to the US Southern Command, responsible for cooperation and security operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, to “help the people” of the island.
Rosa María Payá, daughter of the late opposition member Osvaldo Payá, urged the international community to “draw attention to the dictatorship” for the repression of the protests and recalled a phrase from her father: “The night will not be eternal.”
The same appeal was made by a big banner at the rally, along with the slogan of these protests: “Homeland and Life,” as opposed to the Castro slogan of “Homeland or death.”
María Granela, 85, did not want to miss the show of support for the island that she had to leave in 1970 and to which, she told Efe, she hopes to return to after 50 years if the regime falls, confident that this time it “will be the definite one.” EFE
© 2021 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc.
Cuban leader orders ‘combat’ in streets amid nationwide anti-gov’t protests
(EFE).- Thousands of Cubans took to the streets on Sunday to protest against the government in an unprecedented day that resulted in clashes and many arrests after President Miguel Díaz-Canel ordered his supporters to confront the demonstrators.
The protests, the largest in Cuba since August 1994, came as the country battles a serious economic and health crisis, with the pandemic out of control and a severe shortage of food, medicine and other essentials, in addition to long power outages.
Images of hundreds of people marching amid cries of “Down with the dictatorship” and “Homeland and life” through the streets of San Antonio de los Baños, in western Artemisa, lit a fuse on social media and began calls for protests throughout the country.
Thousands marched across Cuba, peacefully in most cases, demanding “freedom” and shouting slogans against the government and Díaz-Canel.
Protests broke out in Palma Soriano (Santiago de Cuba), Alquízar, Güira de Melena, Havana, and the provincial capitals of Camagüey, Matanzas, Ciego de Ávila and Santiago de Cuba, among many other places.
In the capital they took place in several spots, including outside the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television where a sit-in escalated into verbal confrontations with government supporters and the violent detention of young people, according to an Efe team at the scene.
One of the largest protests took place in front of the Havana Capitol, where some 2,000 people gathered before heading to Paseo del Prado avenue leading to the Malecon, shouting “Dictators” and “Down with communism.”
Military trucks blocked access to the Malecón and protesters dispersed, running through the streets trying to reach the emblematic promenade.
Throughout the afternoon, tensions heightened and protesters were dragged into police cars and trucks and taken from the scene.
Around 3 pm local time (07:00 pm GMT) mobile internet service was cut off and calls began to show instability – a digital blackout that lasted hours.
After appearing in San Antonio de los Baños, Díaz-Canel took to state television to urge his supporters to take to the streets.
“The order for combat has been given – revolutionaries to the streets,” said the president, who described the demonstrations as “provocations of the counter-revolution.”
Díaz-Canel’s words caused an uproar on social media where Cubans condemned the head of state for urging confrontations, instead peace and dialog.
Thereafter, citizen brigades arrived at protests sites aboard state buses – shouting slogans such as “I am Fidel” and “Canel, my friend, the people are with you” – in addition to a strong police presence and dozens of plainclothes officers.
It was then that clashes with anti-government protesters escalated.
The events come after the “SOS Cuba” campaign, launched by civil society due to the crisis, the shortage of medicines and the critical situation due to the pandemic in the province of Matanzas.
A night curfew applies to most of the island due to the pandemic. EFE
© 2021 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc.
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“Cuba demanding freedom and calling on the disbandment of the country’s communist dictatorship,”
““People in Cuba are protesting 62 years of socialism, lies, tyranny & misery”
Why is it so hard for @Potus & the people in his administration to say that?” Rubio tweeted.
WHY??… because socialism is EXACTLY what the traitorous Democrat Party is trying to force on the U.S.A..
The “Socialist Democrat Party State” political officers, Gestapo, Woke and Cancel Culture are just getting started.
You will obey, be loyal and support the “Socialist Democrat Party State” or you will be classified as
“Enemies of the State”.
24 Aug. 2020 – Monday on MSNBC’s “Live,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
referred to President Donald Trump and his Republican supporters as
“domestic enemies” and “enemies of the State”.
NOW THAT WAS a true peaceful protest.. NOT what we’ve seen for over a year, in minneapolis, chicago, portland, seattle etc…
Castro proclaimed he would bring a great revolution to the Cuban People from the mountains and the Jungles of Cuba. All he did was bring in the law of the Jungle of survival of the fittest and most corrupt.
“ President Miguel Díaz Canel, who on Sunday ordered the island’s revolutionaries to fight those who protested in the streets.”,,,,This guy is the Cuban version of Marie Antoinette, who doesn’t understand that he who runs the Bastille is not the revolutionary but the corrupt establishment. His version of “Let them eat cake” is “Let them eat Covid”.
why do these uprisings always happen when the demoncrat party is in charge?
it happend when the iranian people revolted when odumbo the commie was president.
now the demoncrats have bejing biden in offiece and he will not help them just like obama.
YET the media is trying to claim, this is NOT BECAUSE OF communism, but covid..
And don’t forget JFK, Bay of Pigs.
AMERICA IS ALREADY A MARXIST country CUBA therefore, can”t receive any help from us, SORRY….
The Cubans living in Florida could get President Joe Bidens Attrntion jus like the Markists democrat party got the atte. Tion of the welfare democrat block of welfare voters by buying their votes by giving them a check for every child that they have while receiving Welfare, The old Russian prover, says it all, ” Where Gold Speaks, every Tongue is Silent. ” The Marxist democrat politicians are willing to finance those on welfare to have more children in order that they vote the right way….
Is the influx at the Southern border about to get bigger?
Yep, but this time it will be the Castro people flleing for their lives. Just what we need,,,,more communists in the USA?
YOu can bet the dems in charge, will WILLINGLY ACCEPT all those commies fleeing, and SHOVE THEM ALL into red states, to pollute them.
Untoold numbbers of illegalimmigrants have came across This countries open bordersand are most likely going tio, with the assistance of immigrants who are alrady here in this country going tom be added to the welare rolls. With a welfare roll already streathed to the limits and increasing the benefits its going to take additional immigrant on the rolls. If i were how among those already on welfare, i woul be worried how much longer welfare would last before it went broke and would have to remove some people from ites rolls.
To add to sothe seedsof liberty2s comments above, ” The welfare System was previously tested and proved that the system could be broken See ” Croward-priven strategy ” …
Maybe the Cuban people will finally take back their country, I wish them luck and success.
I wonder if they do, CAN WE FINALLY Start sending BACK all those who ‘got asylum here’ cause of the ‘Dry land” rule?
The Marxist/Socialist Democrat has their hands full with all the , ” Antifa, The Democrat controlled Media And cwill.have to be left to their communist elite to manage…its a full time job trying to ontrol their ” Puppet president Joe Biden that Cuba, riots in their streets will have to wait.
As the failures of Communism are exposed in Cuba, it is praised by the Radicals here in the US.
Insanity is defined as “Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.”
The Marxist democrat party has turned ” Antifa, ” loose in the Capital and on Americas citiesburning and looting as rioters roomed leaving total desstrction in their ” peacefu protests. But now the Marxist democrst party has nothing but sympathy to offer the Cuban citizens ” protesting in the streets of their country. It seems a little strange for the same Communist dictatorship that the Marxist democrat party that watched and approved by their silence, are applaaudingthe Cuban people for protesting against their dictator, communist ruler when they would establish the same type of dictatorship in America.
Well, its just like they JUMPED AT THE CHANCE to send OUR tax dollars over to foreign nations, to help “Secure their borders”, but not only did they BALK at securing OUR BORDER, but flat out condemned anyone who WANTED TO as being racist/bigoted etc..
Did you hear on Fox News last night that the Democrats are stating that the Cubans are protesting because they cannot get covid shots! What a joke, that the communist Democrats cannot admit that the Cubans are protesting for their freedom, not because of covid. The Democrats minds are warped.
Responce to ” Backpacker… I have noticed tha the policy.of the radical democrat party is to divert peoples attention from one crises to another so as to create confusion and dismay and hopelessness that there will never be a settled way of life again. This is part of the Markist democrat plan to cauuse a feeling of helplessness among americas citizens until only big Govdrnemt is the only answer, more big Government is their only solution…
ALL because their SOULS are warped by the devil.
Think all of us including the Miami Cubans should be more worried about & protesting against the Marxist Dem Party govt that is operating in US much the same as Communist govt in Cuba.
The US federal govt has illegally spied on, arrested & held in jail without due process Jan 6 Freedom Fighters (who assumed they had same protest rights as Dem Party, BLM / antifa) that protested at the Capitol against the open & brazen Dem Party election fraud via violating state election laws without approval of state legislatures, unidentifiable voters & ballots, unsupervised ballot counting, ballot harvesting & the proven manipulation of voting machines.
Dem Party WH hypocritically says internet & social media access must be restored to Cuban citizens protesting against the Cuban Communist govt while they endorse internet / social media ban on US citizens discussing facts, opinions & protests against Marxist Dem Party govt policies & dictates.
No doubt about it, the Dem Party govt is just a stinking dictatorship.
ALL propt up by the lame stream media.