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Cuban exile organizations have called for a public demonstration in Miami to demand a verification of life for the six Cubans who remain arrested on the Island, following the confrontation that occurred after the arrival of a boat from Florida.
The journalist from Univisión, Javier Díaz, reported on Facebook that the gathering will take place next Sunday, March 8, at 10:00 am in Little Havana.
According to the image shared in their post, the event will take place at the Brigade 2506 Monument, located at 1338 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida 33135.
The call, circulated under the message "Proof of life of our brothers," is promoted by the 30th of November Movement, with the support of ADP and Escudo Cubano.
The announcement states that it is a public event "for our 10 patriots": the 10 Cubans who left Florida by boat for Cuba and ended up imprisoned (six) and dead (four) following a confrontation with the regime's border patrol.
The central demand is clear: that it be officially confirmed that the survivors are alive and that information be provided about their conditions.
The protest arises amid the uncertainty faced by the families of those arrested in the United States, who claim they have not received direct, verifiable information or formal communication regarding the status of their loved ones.
One of the cases that has generated shock is that of Roberto Álvarez Ávila, identified as one of the survivors.
His wife publicly defended him in an interview with journalist Mario J. Pentón, where she described him as "a good person who loves Cuba" and "a fighter for freedom."
The woman demands to know where he is and under what conditions he is being held, and she is also urging U.S. authorities to investigate the matter. Clearly distressed, she stated: "I am a nervous wreck… I know nothing about him… I want to know about him."
Relatives insist on rejecting the accusation of terrorism. "He is not a terrorist. He is not a violent person... he is a hardworking man, a good man," they assert.
Roberto is an American citizen who arrived in the country at the age of nine. He is the father of three daughters and has been married for 17 years. He is described as a hardworking man, a landowner, an animal lover, and someone who has built his life "through effort."
Another name that appears on the official list is that of Conrado Galindo Sariol, 58 years old. His wife, Ana Seguí, and his daughter, María de Jesús Galindo, state that they were completely unaware of what had happened until they saw his name published.
"It caught us off guard like everyone else," her daughter stated. She went on to recount that the Sunday before the list was published, her husband told her he was "going to work." Three days later, his name appeared among the detainees.
Although they acknowledge that Galindo was a critic of the regime and reveal that he even served a seven-year sentence on the Island, they reject the accusation of terrorism. "He was not a terrorist and has never held a weapon in his hand," his wife stated.
The daughter openly expressed her fear: "I don't expect anything good from the government; on the contrary, they don't hesitate to harm the people."
The family reported that after trying to obtain information, they did not receive clear answers. In a call, they were only confirmed that it was "one of the people who entered on a boat," with no further details. They attempted to contact the hospital where he was supposedly receiving care, but were unsuccessful.
What does the official version say?
According to the version from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, the vessel registered in Florida was intercepted in Cuban territorial waters. The government claims that it did not obey the order to stop and fired upon the Coast Guard, which led to an armed exchange.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, described the incident as an "attempt at armed infiltration for terrorist purposes."
According to the information, the boat was equipped with assault rifles, sniper rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, night vision equipment, bulletproof vests, ammunition, and "monograms of counter-revolutionary organizations with a terrorist agenda."
The list of people on board included ten names: four deceased and six survivors in custody, including Roberto Álvarez Ávila and Conrado Galindo Sariol.
From Washington, the reaction has been more cautious. A U.S. official confirmed that at least one of the deceased and one of the injured were American citizens.
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, assured that the United States will investigate the incident independently.
In Miami, a vigil has already taken place in front of Café Versailles, where family members and activists described the event as "a massacre" and spoke about a possible disproportion in the use of force.
Others point out that, even though there are sectors of the exile community with radical stances, that does not automatically make those involved terrorists.
With four men deceased and six under custody in Cuba, the case continues to raise questions. For the regime, it was an action organized from exile with violent intentions.
For families, these are men whose version of events has not been heard and whose current situation has not been directly verified.
The demonstration planned for March 8 in Miami aims to maintain public pressure and obtain concrete proof of life that at least partially alleviates the anguish currently prevailing in these households.
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