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The Father Alberto Reyes, a Camagüey priest known for his critical stance against the Cuban regime, will celebrate two masses this Sunday, February 8, in Miami.
According to the announcement on his Facebook: "God willing, I will celebrate the Holy Mass next Sunday, February 8, at 8:00 AM at St. Michael and at 12:00 PM at Santa Bárbara in Hialeah."
The news is the focal point of his visit to the city, where he also provided statements to Telemundo 51 about the situation in Cuba, the deaths on the Island, and the harassment he has experienced from the State Security.
In the interview, Reyes spoke about the harassment he has faced. "Harassment, being watched, and at one point, what I interpret as veiled death threats," he said.
Still, he insists that his commitment is not to a government, but to the people: "We cannot equate the people of Cuba with the government of Cuba, because the government of Cuba does not care about the people."
For him, faith cannot become a social anesthetic.
"I cannot pretend that my people are not dying, I cannot pretend that there is no hunger, that there are no medicines, I cannot pretend nor can I turn religion into something, into the opium of the people," he expressed.
Reyes describes what Cuba is experiencing as a prolonged drama: "The Cuban people have been in misery for years, they have been emigrating for years, they have been dying for years, because in Cuba, I say there is a silent genocide that no one sees because these are deaths that are not counted, but many people are dying."
In his view, the country needs profound and responsible transformations: "Cuba needs a change, but it needs an organized, measured change; there cannot be a power vacuum."
Reyes arrives in Miami amidst a deep crisis affecting the country: a collapsed economy, power outages of up to 20 hours, shortages of food and transportation, and a general decline in services.
This material precariousness is compounded by a climate of persecution against dissenting voices, even within the Church, that are calling for changes.
In that scenario, the priest has become an uncomfortable figure for those in power due to his direct preaching, civic activism, and public messages.
From Camagüey, she has used her Facebook posts to denounce the reality that Cubans face and to encourage not to normalize suffering.
It also promoted a symbolic initiative that resonated in many communities: ringing bells during power outages as a gesture of support and protest.
That act –simple yet powerful– placed him in the sights of the authorities, who view him as a "problem" for connecting faith with an ethical critique of power.
Now in Miami, he reiterates that he will continue to denounce what he considers unjust and to stand by those who are most vulnerable, even if it means facing consequences.
His visit to the city will be not only pastoral; it will also be a political gesture in the most ethical sense of the term: to accompany, to speak the truth, and not to remain silent.
This Sunday, those who attend St. Michael (8:00 am) and Santa Bárbara in Hialeah (12:00 pm) will hear that message firsthand.
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