MIAMI – As South Florida marks one year since the historic demonstrations in Cuba, some of the state’s top GOP leaders took it as an opportunity to criticize the Biden administration.
“We will not stay quiet, we will not standby unlike the Biden administration,” said Florida Lt. Governor Jeanette Núñez at an event in Doral flanked by several South Florida Republican heavyweights.
They called on the administration to do more to address the injustices of Cuba’s communist government.
“We’re deeply disappointed that in the year that has passed, this administration has done absolutely nothing on the issue of Cuba,” said U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. “At best it’s been stagnant, at worst the Biden administration’s response to Cuba has been appeasement.”
It was a year ago, that thousands of Cubans poured onto the streets after days of power cuts by the government. Some protestors live-streamed the events where people spoke out about the lack of food, medicine, and basic freedoms.
Within hours, the uprising spread in regions throughout the country, marking the largest anti-government protests in Cuba since the 1959 revolution.
“They knew the consequences, they knew the regime would respond with its usual ferocity,” said state U.S. Representative Mario Diaz-Balart.
The gathered elected officials called on the Biden administration to demand the release of hundreds of people arrested after participating in the peaceful protests last year.
“According to human rights groups, about 1,400 Cubans were detained including 45 children,” said Diaz-Balart.
Rubio pointed to an increased number of Cuban migrants who risk their lives on dangerous journeys by boat to South Florida as another sign of the dire situation on the communist island.
There are a number of events scheduled for Monday in a show of solidarity with the people of Cuba.
At 6 p.m., there will be the prayer of the rosary at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity organized by Mothers Against Repression.
At 7 p.m., there will be a musical and artistic event in commemoration of the July 11 uprising at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora.
At 7:45 p.m., there will be a march down SW 8th Street to the Bay of Pigs Monument.