Gloria Estefan Makes a Stance for Peace

MIAMI --- Last Thursday March 25 tens of thousands of Cuban exiles dressed in white joined Gloria Estefan – Salsa Superstar – in a march calling for freedom in Cuba and to support the ‘Damas de Blanco’ (‘Ladies in White’). These human right protesters and peaceful dissidents were attacked last week by government law enforcing agents and security officers in Havana (Cuba). The Ladies in White decided to march towards the Malecón in Havana at the same time as the march in Miami took place. This time they were harassed by pro-government civilians, but without the use of violence.

Calle Ocho in Miami was filled with people waving Cuban flags, holding white gladiolas in their hands, and carrying photographs of jailed dissidents. Different generations of Cuban exiles and other so called ‘Latinos’ were united in this common cause. As they chanted ``¡Libertad!''  (“Freedom”) Estefan, standing on a stage, said: “Thank you Miami. This shows that we are one people. We are the people that love and defend freedom!”

This community who is often divided over how to bring democracy to Cuba seems to have found unity through an artist, one of the few who is able to transcend the barrier between several generations of Cubans, transformed into a common voice of her people. Singer Amaury Gutiérrez said: “This is the moment in which history begins to change.” Emilio Estefan (the husband of Gloria) agreed with him with the following words: ``We truly are in a new era and it's the young generation with blooming technology in an age of camera phones and Twitter.''  ``There is no escaping the truth anymore. We have finally reached a turning point for Cuba, Miami, the movement. This is a turning point in history.''

Emilio’s words became quite clear that day. In Matanzas, in the eastern part of Havana, a group of government supporters attacked and tried to break in the home of the dissident Luis Miguel Sigler wielding steel bars and sticks. Berta Soler Fernandez, a member of the Ladies in white living in Havana, reported about a small group of university students harassing the Ladies in White marching in Matanzas. They were carrying Cuban flags and flowers. When the women activists released white doves in the neighborhood of the Hotel Nacional in the Malecón, the students were chanting “Viva Fidel!”. Later on a larger group of civilians and security agents joined the counter demonstration without the use of violence, Soler added. 

Gloria Estefan decided to inform the crowd after she heard everything that was happening in Cuba on her cell phone: ``At this moment, the Ladies in White are marching and are receiving violence again,'' she said. ``Ladies in White, we walk with you.'' But she also clearly wanted to end the march with a message of peace: ``Peace, love and freedom in the world,'' she said. ``¡Viva Cuba Libre! ¡Viva los Estados Unidos! May God bless this great nation that has allowed us to do this.''