South Florida’s Cuban exile community rally for freedom in Little Havana amid island-wide blackout – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
MIAMI (WSVN) – South Florida’s Cuban exile community honored the anniversary of a historic demonstration with one of its own while there was another island-wide blackout.
Miles away, Cuba remains in the dark.
Another island-wide blackout left millions of people across Cuba without electricity for the second time in just one week, worsening the humanitarian crisis on the island.
It’s been 67 years of the Castro communist regime, and families are struggling to find food, medicine, and clean water as daily life becomes increasingly difficult.
“Now that the electricity has been out. I can’t even wash my family’s clothes. Everything is dirty,” said a woman in Spanish.
As millions face prolonged blackouts and shortages, their uncertainty for a free Cuba continues to grow.
“I don’t know what needs to happen. A change of government or the situation. I don’t know,” said a woman in Spanish.
South Florida’s Cuban exile community gathered in Little Havana on Saturday to honor the fifth anniversary of a historic protest.
“We Cubans who have freedom here in the U.S., we should always go out and speak out for them,” said a South Florida Cuban.
Thousands of Cubans flooded the streets of Calle Ocho to march against the troubled island and demand freedom.
“We didn’t have freedom in Cuba, and that’s why I’m walking. I’m walking for those people who can’t walk over there,” said a South Florida Cuban.
“The fear of the regime turned from the people fearing the dictatorship to the regime fearing the people,” said a South Florida Cuban.
Saturday’s Freedom March and Liberation Rally are to honor those who protested against the Castro communist regime, call for the release of political prisoners who are still being held in Cuba, and to continue to fight for Cuba’s freedom.
South Florida Cuban Arielis Cintra knows the pain all too well, as her loved one is one of those prisoners who are still being held in Cuba.
“My brother is in Cuba; they imprisoned him for 10 years in Cuba prison for the 11 July. He was in the protest asking for freedom from Cuba, and they just put him in the jail,” said Cintra. “Asking for his freedom and all the persons that are in Cuba protesting for Cuba and asking for freedom. Cuba needs to be freedom.”
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio also released a statement:
“The United States will continue to use every tool at our disposal to both address the national security threats posed by the Cuban Communist regime, and to drive the economic and political reforms to give Cuba a better future. Cuba’s leaders must simply choose to commit themselves to real reforms, peace, and prosperity-before it is too late.”
As of July 11, hundreds of Cubans remain unjustly detained for simply asking for basic rights, opportunities, and dignity, while the people continue to suffer hunger and deprivation.
Miami District 3 Commissioner Rolando Escalona spoke to 7News about the pressure Cubans are experiencing.
“They have never felt the pressure they are feeling right now, and that’s why this is so important today because we are also saying a message to Washington, D.C. that we are ready for freedom,” said Escalona. “Many people are in jail nowadays; many of them also died. We want to achieve freedom for the Cuban people, and that’s what we’re doing this year. We’re here to support all the Cuban people that are on the street.
The South Florida Cuban exile community remained marching the streets of Calle Ocho on Saturday evening as they continue the fight for a free Cuba.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.