Cuban-Americans rally for freedom in communist nation

NATIONAL CEMETERY IN BUSHNELL WHILE PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM IN CUBA HIT THE STREETS OF ORLANDO TODAY, SHOWING SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SANCTIONS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT THERE. BUT HIS WESH 2’S GREG FOX REPORTS THEY DON’T WANT MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN DEPLOYED THERE IN A COMBAT ROLE. MORE THAN 100 DEMONSTRATORS, EITHER CUBAN BORN OR YOUNG, NEW GENERATIONS OF CUBAN AMERICANS, CROWDED THE CORNER OF CIMARRON BOULEVARD AND CURRY FORD ROAD IN ORLANDO FOR HOURS. THEY WERE JOINED BY SUPPORTERS FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AS THEY CALL FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN CUBA. MANY IN THIS CROWD SAY THEY SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS IMPOSED UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, EVEN IF IT MEANS TEMPORARILY FUEL SHORTAGES, SENDING THE PRICE PER GALLON SKYROCKETING BLACKOUTS FROM A COMPROMISED POWER GRID AND A MEDICAL CARE SYSTEM THAT’S MAKING TREATMENT MORE CHALLENGING BY THE DAY. WE’RE HERE TRYING TO MAKE HISTORY, AND WE JUST WANT GOD TO TO HEAR OUR CRIES AND MAKE CUBA FREE. THAT’S RAQUEL LIMON’S OPTIMISM AT WORK. HER MOTHER, WHO WAS BORN IN CUBA AND FLED IN THE 60S, IS FAR MORE FORCEFUL. THEY NEED TO GO OUT. THEY NEED TO TAKE THEM OUT. THE CASTROS AND THE MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, THEY NEED TO FLEE OR THEY NEED TO THEY NEED TO TAKE THEM OUT. THESE PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY FULLY SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC PRESSURE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS PUTTING ON CUBA, WHICH THEY HOPE WILL LEAD TO CHANGE, BUT THEY DON’T WANT TO SEE U.S. TROOPS ON THE GROUND THERE. I DON’T WANT THAT BECAUSE I DON’T WANT THE UNITED STATES SACRIFICE. TROOPS ARE PUTTING UNITED STATES TROOPS IN DANGER BECAUSE THE CUBAN REGIME. NO, I THINK THAT WITH THE PRESSURE THAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, CUBA WILL FALL VERY, VERY SOON. WITH VENEZUELAN LEADER NICOLAS MADURO IN CUSTODY, OIL SHIPMENTS FROM HIS COUNTRY TO CUBA SHUT DOWN THE NEXT ROUND OF TENSION FOR THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF STATE MAY COME WHEN RUSSIAN OIL IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE ON THE ISLAND, LEAVING THOSE CALLING FOR A FREE CUBA, WONDERING WHEN THEY CAN CELE

More than 100 demonstrators, either Cuban-born or young, new generations of Cuban Americans, crowded the corner of Semoran Boulevard and Curry Ford Road in Orlando for hours Saturday afternoon. They were joined by supporters from a variety of Latin backgrounds, as they called for freedom and democracy in Cuba.Many in this crowd say they support the economic sanctions imposed under the administration of President Donald Trump, even if it means temporary fuel shortages sending the price per gallon skyrocketing, blackouts from a compromised power grid, and a medical care system that’s making treatment more challenging by the day. Humanitarian aid supplies from across a legion of Latin countries have struggled to keep up with basic needs, including food, baby items, and medicine. From the rally, Cuban-American Raquel Limon told WESH 2 News, “We’re here trying to make history, and we just want (the U.S. Government) to hear our cries and make Cuba free.” That’s Limon’s optimism at work. But her mother, Gladys Limon, who was born in Cuba and fled in the 1960s, is far more forceful, adding, “They need to go. They need to take them out. The Castros, the President Miguel Diaz-Canel, they need to flee or they need to take them out.” People who spoke with WESH 2 News at the rally say they fully support the economic pressure on Cuba to try and force a change in leadership, but they don’t want to see U.S. troops on the ground there.Mario Martinez added, “I don’t want that because I don’t want the United States to sacrifice troops, putting United States troops in danger because of the Cuban regime. No. I think with the pressure that we are doing right now, the Cuban government will fall very soon.” With Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in custody, oil shipments from his country to Cuba shut down, the next round of tension for Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may come when Russian oil is scheduled to arrive on the Island in the coming days.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

More than 100 demonstrators, either Cuban-born or young, new generations of Cuban Americans, crowded the corner of Semoran Boulevard and Curry Ford Road in Orlando for hours Saturday afternoon.

They were joined by supporters from a variety of Latin backgrounds, as they called for freedom and democracy in Cuba.

Many in this crowd say they support the economic sanctions imposed under the administration of President Donald Trump, even if it means temporary fuel shortages sending the price per gallon skyrocketing, blackouts from a compromised power grid, and a medical care system that’s making treatment more challenging by the day.

Humanitarian aid supplies from across a legion of Latin countries have struggled to keep up with basic needs, including food, baby items, and medicine.

From the rally, Cuban-American Raquel Limon told WESH 2 News, “We’re here trying to make history, and we just want (the U.S. Government) to hear our cries and make Cuba free.”

That’s Limon’s optimism at work. But her mother, Gladys Limon, who was born in Cuba and fled in the 1960s, is far more forceful, adding, “They need to go. They need to take them out. The Castros, the President Miguel Diaz-Canel, they need to flee or they need to take them out.”

People who spoke with WESH 2 News at the rally say they fully support the economic pressure on Cuba to try and force a change in leadership, but they don’t want to see U.S. troops on the ground there.

Mario Martinez added, “I don’t want that because I don’t want the United States to sacrifice troops, putting United States troops in danger because of the Cuban regime. No. I think with the pressure that we are doing right now, the Cuban government will fall very soon.”

With Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in custody, oil shipments from his country to Cuba shut down, the next round of tension for Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may come when Russian oil is scheduled to arrive on the Island in the coming days.