For 7th Consecutive Day, Demonstrations Continue For A Free Cuba
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - For the seventh day in a row, South Florida residents gathered to demonstrate for a free Cuba by taking to the streets.
Thousands gathered in downtown Miami, at the Freedom Tower to demonstrate for a free Cuba.
They were chatting, "Libertad," (Freedom) and "Patria y Vida" (Homeland and life), while holding Cuban, US flags.
Giana Morales said she last spoke to her family on Thursday. They told her they were scared and hoping they will get help.
"They are saying everyone is on the streets. They don't have internet, they can only connect at night at a specific time," she said.
Local Cuban artists like Willy Chirino and Jeancarlos Canelas took the stage pleading the U.S. to intervene.
"All they want is democracy. All they want is freedom. We want action, we want results, we want more than just acknowledgment," said Canelas.
From Calle Ocho to the streets of Hialeah and up to Hollywood, South Florida continues to show up and stand up for Cuba to demand change.
On Friday, demonstrators from South Florida boarded buses and drove their own vehicles in a caravan to Washington, D.C.
Watch: Caravan heads to DC:
They planned to join other demonstrators near the White House on Saturday.
The plan is to ask President Biden to intervene to free Cuba.
The plan for rallies standing with Cuba will continue through the weekend.
"This generation has had it," says Dr. Raquel Garcia. "They're tired of the oppression they're tired of the hunger they're tired of the need and lack of communication, no longer."
Dr. Garcia organized a small rally outside Research Centers of America along Sheridan St. Friday afternoon.
"This is not a joyous occasion; this is a similar event where we are going to be playing images and the videos and audio of what we are getting from Cuba," says Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
He says this is not just a Cuba issue but a human rights issue.
"We have an opportunity to create national and international attention to what's happening in Cuba and if we don't do it no one will pay attention and they will feel completely abandoned," says Suarez.
Demonstrators say the call for justice will not stop.
"It's every immigrant's dream to be able to fight for their country-of-origin that's what brings me out - show solidarity for those fighting over there because what we have here we want them to have," says Natalie Plascencia, demonstrator.
