Dozens of Cubans and supporters gathered this Saturday at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan to demand the release of political prisoners in Cuba and to denounce the social, health, and economic crisis facing the Caribbean nation.
The demonstration was organized by the Cuban activist residing in Italy, Leidy Bueno, and featured the participation of exiles from various European countries.
Among the attendees were Avana de la Torre, a Cuban resident in Spain; the influencer TutyCuba, known on TikTok for her activism from Germany; and the activist Leydi Peñalver, based in Le Marche (Italy).
Other Cubans from the exile community and supportive Italian citizens also participated, Avana de la Torre said in videos sent to CiberCuba.
The protesters unfurled the flag of political prisoners and the flag of collapse, symbols of the humanitarian crisis facing the island.
Despite the heavy rain that fell during the event, the participants continued distributing QR codes from Cubaduele.com among passersby, so they could learn firsthand about the reality experienced under the dictatorship of the Castros and Miguel Díaz-Canel.
“It rained a lot and we ended up soaked, but it was worth it. We want the world to see what the true situation in Cuba is,” said Avana de la Torre to CiberCuba.
The prominent activist denounced that the Cuban regime continues to manipulate the international narrative regarding the country's situation, while on the island "the people suffer from hunger, repression, and an unprecedented healthcare collapse."
"We are experiencing a total health collapse, with nine viruses circulating in the country and hospitals lacking resources. The dictatorship deceives the world, and the saddest part is seeing young Europeans defending the regime without knowing that the reality in Cuba is very different from what they are being sold," he stated.
The organizers emphasized the importance of keeping these demonstrations in public spaces in Europe, where thousands of tourists and citizens can see the messages, hear the testimonies, and access independent information about the repression in Cuba.
In the demonstration, there were also Italian citizens and Cubans residing in Germany, Spain, and Italy, who chanted slogans for the freedom of political prisoners, the end of the dictatorship, and the restoration of human rights on the island.
The attendees assured that they will continue organizing this type of gathering in various European cities until the political prisoners are released and the Cuban people can live in freedom.
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