Exiles in Miami unwavering in their protests while planning to sail in fleets to Cuba

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In support of their fellow countrymen on the island, dozens of Cubans gathered Wednesday (21) at Tropical Park in Miami-Dade, a county that on July 11, when protests began on the island, unanimously declared “Patria y vida/SOS Cuba” (Homeland and Life/SOS Cuba) Day.

“We join voices from Miami-Dade County in support of the Cuban people who bravely stand up to tyranny to put an end to 62 years of oppression,” said Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, who promoted the initiative.

She stressed that the declaration honors the Cuban people who have unprecedently mobilized to demand their freedom and “the end of six decades of repression, tyranny, hunger and failed communism.”

Meanwhile, NBC reported that boats from Miami are scheduled to set sail next Wednesday from Key West in the Florida Keys to international waters off Cuba.

The local Miami TV channel detailed that the U.S. Coast Guard has not approved permits for the trip nor will it escort the boats, but the institution said that the group is free to travel provided they do not cross into Cuban territory.

Meanwhile, some 150 U.S. lawmakers yesterday sent a letter to leaders of democratic countries calling for support for the struggle to free Cuba and support for the Cuban people in their protests.

Lawmakers urge world leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to denounce the “dictatorship” of Miguel Díaz-Canel through the International Criminal Court.

They likewise call for an end to all financial support for the regime, coordination of democratic assistance for freedom advocates, and restoration of telecommunications and internet access on the island.