Cuban exiles from various locations in the United States and Canada gathered this Thursday at Pershing Park, one block from the White House in Washington D.C., to demand that the Trump administration take stronger actions against the Cuban government.
The demonstration, titled "Do it Trump, do it," was called by presenter and influencer Alexander Otaola and brought together participants from Miami, Michigan, and other areas of the United States, as well as Canadian cities like Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, and Calgary.
"Actions, not words" was one of the repeated messages during the event, where attendees voiced their support for the pressure policy of the Trump administration, but called for moving towards measures that would bring about political change in Cuba.
The rally had initially been announced for Lafayette Square, in front of the White House, but was moved to Pershing Park. Otaola explained during his live broadcast that the change was made in response to security directives from the Secret Service.
The event began around 10:30 in the morning and lasted until approximately 3:00 in the afternoon.
"We must support and push forward."
One of the main speakers was Rosa María Payá, founder of Cuba Decide, who connected the mobilization of the exile community with the anti-government protests that began in Cuba on July 11, 2021.
"What we are defending here today is the freedom of all Cubans, the freedom of that nation that lives both inside and outside of Cuba, and both inside and outside are mobilized with a single demand: to escape the dictatorship, to change the system," he stated.
Payá also called on Cubans outside the island to support the demands for change arising within the country.
"If this started, this undeniable mobilization started in the summer of 2021, it is up to us to support and push for its success in 2026. If they are doing it inside, we must also do it outside," he expressed.
According to Martí Noticias, the actress and comedian Aleanys Jáuregui, "Cuqui La Mora," directed her message straight to Trump.
"We are here for Cuba, for the Cubans, for freedom, so that Trump takes action and not just makes statements. We want Trump to help us escape communism, because communism and Cuba pose a threat to the national security of the United States," he stated.
For his part, Maikel Rodríguez, "Maikito," a member of Los Pichy Boys, also linked the call for freedom in Cuba to U.S. security and mentioned Havana's connections with governments like those of Russia, China, and Iran.
"Not only for the freedom of our people, which is obviously the most important thing, but also for the national security of this country. We need to take action on Cuba. Don't wait any longer," he declared.
Otaola stated that the mobilization aimed to represent "each and every Cuban, both those on the island and those who have been exiled by the regime."
"Cuba will belong to Cubans, not to a family of criminals who has kidnapped it," he stated.
The protest comes a day after new restrictions against Cuba
The concentration took place just one day after the implementation of a new round of U.S. restrictions related to Cuba.
Since September 30, new financial and travel restrictions imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) began to take effect.
The measures eliminated the general authorization for travel meant to attend or organize professional meetings and conferences in Cuba, restricted educational activities, and eliminated group exchanges known as people-to-people.
They also introduced changes in financial operations related to Cuba and expanded restrictions on transactions with entities included in Cuba's Restricted List.
The participants welcomed the hardening of Washington's policy, but several insisted that economic sanctions alone will not bring about the political change they demand for the island.
During the event, there were also numerous expressions of support for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the central figures in the Trump administration's policy towards Cuba.
The conviction of Anna Bensi reaches Washington
The mobilization coincided with the trial held this Thursday in Havana against content creator Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente (Anna Bensi) and her mother, Caridad Silvente, who were charged after recording and sharing a meeting with an agent from the Ministry of the Interior on social media.
During the day, it was revealed that the People's Municipal Court of Havana del Este found both guilty and imposed two years of restriction of liberty on each.
The news circulated among the participants of the gathering and became part of the reports on the situation of freedoms and human rights in Cuba.
The case of Bensi had prompted statements from artists, activists, religious organizations, Cuban-American congress members, and even the United States Embassy in Havana in the days leading up to it.
The coincidence of the verdict with the demonstration reinforced one of the arguments repeated during the event: that external pressure must support those within Cuba who face consequences for publicly expressing their disagreement with the political system.
"Never before, at least never before in my life story, had I seen so much suffering of the Cuban people," Payá stated during his speech.
The opposition leader closed her message with a phrase that has long since become a rallying cry among Cuban activists and exiles:
"The night will not be eternal."
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