- Title: Florida flotilla sets off to show support for Cuban protesters
- Date: 23rd July 2021
- Summary: MIAMI, FLORIDA (JULY 23, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BOAT WITH 'SOS CUBA' FLOATING TOWARD DOCK AT SUNRISE CUBAN FLAG ON BACK OF BOAT CUBAN AND U.S. FLAGS AGAINST SUNRISE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OSDANY VELOZ, A CUBAN-AMERICAN WHO STARTED THE IDEA OF A FLOTILLA ON INSTAGRAM, SAYING: "The objective is to show support, to show support, to be in international waters and have the Cuban community be able to see us and be able to see that we're there for them, that we're supporting them and that we're backing them up." BOAT WITH U.S. AND CUBAN FLAGS APPROACHING DOCK BOAT AT DOCK (SOUNDBITE) (English) LESTER DIAZ, A PARTICIPANT IN THE FLOTILLA, SAYING: "The plan for today is to leave from here to Key West (Florida), refuel in Key West and go to Havana, Cuba, anywhere from 12 to 15 miles out and light up the sky. Give our Cuban people hope -- that they know they have all their Cuban people in Miami, all over the world, behind them; not just Cuban people. This is for Venezuela, this is for any - Nicaragua - any country that is repressed by their government, third world countries." BOAT WITH #SOS CUBA DOCKED WITH MIAMI SKYLINE IN REAR BOAT DOCKED IN FOREGROUND WITH CROWD OF PEOPLE ON DOCK IN BACKGROUND CUBAN FLAG ON BOAT IN FOREGROUND WITH MIAMI SKYLINE IN BACKGROUND #SOS CUBA ON BOAT CUBAN FLAG ON BOAT WITH WATER IN BACKGROUND MEN ON DECK PLANNING FLOTILLA MAN UNTYING BOAT FROM PIER VARIOUS OF #SOS CUBA BOAT PULLING AWAY FROM PIER VARIOUS OF BOAT WITH U.S. AND CUBAN FLAGS PULLING AWAY FROM PIER AND JOINING REST OF FLOTILLA AS THEY HEAD OUT TO KEY WEST
- Embargoed: 6th August 2021 18:06
- Keywords: Cuban-Americans US-Cuba flotilla protest
- Location: MIAMI, FLORIDA
- City: MIAMI, FLORIDA
- Country: USA
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,United States,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001EN2BPL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A small group of Cuban-American boaters set off from Miami on Friday (July 23) in a planned flotilla to show their support for Cuban activists, many of whom have been jailed.
About half a dozen boats set off from downtown Miami to Key West, Florida, where they will refuel before setting off for international waters outside of Cuba.
Earlier this month, thousands of Cubans staged protests to demonstrate against the government, its curbs on civil liberties and its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis that has brought shortages of basic goods and power outages.
At least one protester died and hundreds of activists were detained. According to social media reports from family members, some of the activists have already been sentenced without access to attorneys.
Osdany Veloz who organized the flotilla said the group plans to travel to an area outside Cuban borders and set off fireworks so that people on the island can see them.
"The objective is to show support, to show support, to be in international waters and have the Cuban community be able to see us and be able to see that we're there for them, that we're supporting them and that we're backing them up," he said.
The group expects to return back to Florida within the day.
Cuba is 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Key West.
(Production: Marco Bello, Arlene Eiras) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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