Cuban Exiles Clash with Pro-Palestinian Protesters Over Martí Bust in Coral Gables

Cubans from the group Exilio Unido Ya confronted pro-Palestinian protesters after noticing they had placed a scarf on a bust of José Martí in Coral Gables, a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Ramiro Collazo and Joel Riverón, who advocate for democracy and the freedom of political prisoners in Cuba, stopped the act of desecration alongside local resident Miguel Giménez, who joined in outrage at what he described as the actions of "terrorist sympathizers," according to a post by user Marcel Valdés on X (formerly known as Twitter).

In his post, Valdés added, "These same individuals travel to Cuba to receive training from the dictatorship. They are the same people who, along with Carlos Lazo and his false 'Bridges of Love,' defend the Castroist tyranny and the communist system here in the USA."

According to videos on the cited social network, Collazo, leader of Exilio Unido Ya, removed the pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian garment from the statue of Cuba's National Hero. However, the tension of the moment led to a police presence. This police intervention was criticized by Riverón, who could not understand why the department would defend acts of desecration of public monuments. He demanded a statement from Coral Gables Mayor Vince C. Lago from his profile on X.

This is not the first time Collazo has confronted members of the Puentes de Amor project. In April, he had an altercation with an individual named Carlos Manuel, known as Indio Taíno, reproaching him for his support of the Castroist dictatorship. The confrontation occurred on the last Sunday of April in Homestead, during a May Day event organized by Cubans who sympathize with the Cuban regime.

"Cuban exiles, including members of Exilio Unido Ya, activists, and former political prisoners, who also organize an anti-communist demonstration on the last Sunday of each month, went to Homestead to confront these accomplices of tyranny face-to-face," Valdés wrote on Facebook.

"Participants include part of the historic exile community, former political prisoners, activists, movements, families of political prisoners, and every anti-communist Cuban who loves freedom and wants to express themselves and shout for liberty. We have the opportunity to utilize this space in our community, and we must make the most of it," Valdés demanded in another post.

Puentes de Amor is an organization led by Cuban-American professor Carlos Lazo, initially aimed at taking American students to Cuba to strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries. Later, the organization began coordinating donations for supposed aid to the Cuban people, gradually gaining notoriety until Lazo was personally received by Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Lazo claims that his project "is not about politics" but about humanity, arguing that "the blockade is immoral." His group calls for an end to the U.S. embargo and collects food and medical supplies for the island. However, Lazo fails to acknowledge that the Cuban government's poor management is the true cause of the current crisis, and he completely ignores issues like repression, political prisoners, and the lack of freedoms.