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The Cuban exile community braved the rain and gathered yesterday at the FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park in Miami for the "United for a Free Cuba" demonstration, a day of prayer, activism, and unity organized by the Support and Mobilization Committee along with the Cuban Resistance Assembly (ARC).
The event, held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 301 Biscayne Boulevard, brought together leaders from the exile community, activists, religious figures, and artists in what the organizers described as a collective demand for the freedom of Cuba, the second major mobilization of the exile community in less than a month in South Florida, according to Telemundo.
Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat, executive secretary of the ARC, made the political message of the event clear: "We support a strong and tough policy against the regime, and we want real change. Real change means the departure of the Castro family and the Communist Party from power."
The leader also emphasized the spiritual and hemispheric nature of the event: "We are asking God to empower the Cuban people for the final change, for the liberation of Cuba. We are doing this in tune with our brothers and sisters in Cuba, who are praying, and with various countries in Latin America that will also be involved."
The official statement from the organizers summarized the spirit of the event: "This call to prayer brings the participants together in a shared request for the liberation of the Cuban people from communism and the restoration of freedom, faith, and human dignity."
Among the notable participants were activists Silvia Iriondo and Rosa María Payá, as well as Alex Otaola, Nissim Elnecavé, priest Juan Lázaro Vélez, and pastor Alex Bosa.
The program also featured performances by musicians Kamankola, Raudel Escuadrón, and Amaury Gutiérrez, combining cultural expressions with spaces for reflection and advocacy.
The event was simultaneously held in churches within Cuba and in other countries with a presence of the Cuban diaspora, including Uruguay, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Mexico.
The demonstration had the support of Commissioner Miguel Ángel Gabela, described by the organizers as "key in the coordination and facilitation of this event in collaboration with community leaders, along with the Miami City Commission."
The event is part of a wave of mobilizations driven by the deepening crisis on the island. On March 24th, the Free Cuba Rally gathered the exile community in Hialeah alongside figures such as José Daniel Ferrer and artists like Yotuel and Jacob Forever.
On March 2, the ARC and Pasos de Cambio —led by Payá— signed the "Liberation Agreement" in Miami, an alliance that proposes a three-phase plan —liberation, stabilization, and democratization— for the political transition in Cuba, including the immediate release of over 1,000 political prisoners and the holding of internationally supervised free elections.
Bayfront Park has already been the site of a large demonstration for the freedom of Cuba in August 2021, following the historic protests of July 11 of that year.
The backdrop is grim: according to the organization Prisoners Defenders, Cuba recorded a record of 1,250 verified political prisoners in March 2026, with a total of 2,026 since July 2021. Just two days before the event, the regime rejected an ultimatum from the United States to release political prisoners during bilateral talks.
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