Floridians are traveling to Cuba with their own boats to deliver charity aid to the people protesting the country’s communist dictatorship.
Many left for the island on Monday with boats carrying food, water, and medical supplies, CBS Miami reported.
“We are just bringing supplies. They are trying to create a group to take on water, food, medicine, whatever we can to take a Cuba,” Dennis Suayero said. “We are just waiting for the approval so we can enter and give it to them.”
Amid historic protests that have driven thousands of Cubans to the streets on Sunday, the United States Coast Guard is warning #Florida Cubans against trying to make the voyage to the island. #NewsBreakLocalhttps://t.co/uFHEnGJhMX
— NewsBreak (@newsbreakApp) July 14, 2021
Boatsmen are crossing over despite warnings from the U.S. Coast Guard not to embark on such a potentially dangerous journey.
“As a humanitarian organization with a core mission of protecting lives at-sea, we echo the message of many U.S. leaders in the support of the Cuban people exercising their fundamental right of freedom of expression and assembly, but also remind anyone considering a migrant voyage to not take to the sea,” the Coast Guard stated. “The transit is dangerous and unforgiving as nearly 20 lives were tragically lost in recent weeks as a result of these dangerous voyages.”
Dear @POTUS @VP @GovRonDeSantis @MayorDaniella @MiamiMayor This will be the definitive moment all your Cuban #Florida constituents will remember you by. There is NO time to waste. International humanitarian aid for #Cuba now. #SOScuba https://t.co/MCCMGmqUhN
— JennyLee Molina 🇨🇺 #SOSCuba (@jennyleeisme) July 15, 2021
The efforts by caring Americans come as the Cuban regime engages in a violent crackdown on widespread pro-democracy protests.
The citizens of Cuba are gathering en-masse in the streets to call for an end to the country’s oppressive communist dictatorship. According to reports, authorities have responded by “arresting, beating, and killing” their own people.
#SOSCuba Florida citizens are taking the situation into their hands and going to rescue the Cuban people from tyranny. While rendering humanitarian aid to others in the world is important, let’s reflect on the fact that nothing but thoughts & prayers have been with Cuba. pic.twitter.com/sVnNi4rpGv
— Cassandra #SOSCuba 🆘🇨🇺🆘🇨🇺 (@ccarothers87) July 15, 2021
President Miguel Díaz-Canel has made threats to his people to go back to their homes and end the demonstrations. According to reports, he is also planning a “civil war” in Cuba between pro-democracy supporters and those loyal to the regime.
“The order to fight has been given – into the street, revolutionaries!” the President said Sunday. “We are calling on all the revolutionaries in the country, all the Communists, to hit the streets wherever there is an effort to produce these provocations.”
“We are not going to hand over the sovereignty or the independence of the people,” he added. “There are many revolutionaries in this country who are willing to give our lives, we are willing to do anything, and we will be in the streets fighting.”
ON EDGE: Legal aid organizations report dozens of arrests in Cuba after rare protests, as the government cracks down on dissenters amid a growing economic crisis. @VictorOquendo is in Florida where there are marches of support. https://t.co/eD6WRjdVHJ pic.twitter.com/FwEtZ8JKrN
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) July 14, 2021
Republican Senator Marco Rubio called on America to become more involved in the fight for democracy in Cuba in a recent speech.
Rubio, who is also of Cuban descent, urged President Joe Biden to make it a “top priority to allow the people of Cuba to have free, unfettered open internet access,” which the Cuban regime has been suppressing due to the protests.
“The first lesson we need to take away from it is that Marxism, socialism, doesn’t work,” the Senator said. “The way socialism, the way Marxism has always worked, the way it’s always empowered itself, is it goes to the people and immediately divides them. It says there is an oppressor class and that there is this victim class and these evil oppressors, capitalists, in the case of socialism or traditional Marxism, they oppress the victims.”
“And when it can’t deliver the security, you don’t get your freedom back. And in fact, when you start to complain about that, that is when the repression comes,” he added. “That’s what’s happened in Cuba.”
For Marco Rubio’s recent Senate speech in support of the people of Cuba, please see the video below.
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