Cuban exiles launch flotilla to protest against Putin's Latin America tour
Source: Associated Press
Cuban exiles launch flotilla to protest against Putin's Latin America tour
• Boats launched from Key West, Florida
• Russian leader in region on World Cup tour
Associated Press in Key West, Florida
theguardian.com, Saturday 12 July 2014 14.37 EDT
A group of Cuban exiles on Saturday launched a flotilla from Key West, partly to protest the presence in Latin America of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
Organisers said three boats carrying 30 to 40 people left around 1pm Saturday, heading for waters just off of Cuba.
The flotilla was initially planned to commemorate the drowning of Cuban migrants who fled the communist island in 1994. Survivors say Cuban coast guard vessels rammed their boat off the coast of Havana, spraying them with fire hoses.
Organisers added Putin to their objections, noting the Soviet Union provided military aid to Cuba throughout the Cold War and the potential for Moscow to renew its military presence there.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/12/cuban-exiles-flotilla-putin-latin-america
= new reply since forum marked as read
My, it seems only yesterday, they were going to Havana to do the very same thing for a completely different "reason":
Cuba exiles to float fireworks show off Havana
Aug. 11, 2012 08:58 AM
Associated Press.
HAVANA -- Cuban exiles marshaled a flotilla to sail from the United States Saturday to just outside the island country's territorial waters with plans to put on a nighttime fireworks show and inspire protest among the thousands of revelers expected at a summer carnival along Havana's seaside Malecon boulevard.
Organizers planned to park the vessels 12.5 miles off the coast of the Cuban capital and launch around 80 colorful salvos in what organizers called a peaceful display of solidarity with their compatriots.
"When you see the lights of freedom, walk toward the seawall as a silent protest against censorship of expression," said Ramon Saul Sanchez of the small nonprofit group the Democracy Movement. "And when you're there, among the people, think of freedom, murmur 'freedom' and if you deem it prudent, demand freedom."
Similar stunts in the past have been only faintly visible on the horizon north of Havana and elicited little response among islanders. But the shows have irked the Communist-run government, which considers them provocative, subversive and even potentially dangerous. Cuban officials have criticized Washington for not blocking the actions.
More:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2012/08/11/20120811PNI0811-wir-cuba-exiles-fireworks-flotilla-waters-havana.html#ixzz37HhZkvcJ
[center]
Here's the leader, Ramon Saul Sanchez, pretending US federal agents
mangled him when they retrieved small Elian Gonzalez from the Little
Havana house in Miami of his great-uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, who had
ignored court orders to turn the little guy over so he could be returned
to his father.
Ramon Saul Sanchez tried to rush the agents and got pepper sprayed,
and immediately started his routine of acting as though he was on his
last legs, a true Cuban "exile" American hero.
Another brush with "death" overcome!
Ramon Saul Sanchez, appearing to be succumbing to a hunger strike
Ramon Saul Sanchez and his men practicing their "human chain"
which they felt would be able to deter the agents of the US Federal Govt.
when they came to retrieve the little Cuban sojourner found in the ocean,
brought here part-way by his mother's boyfriend, ex-con Lazaro Munero,
and his mother before they drowned after kidnapping the child from his
father to go to the US to live with Munero's relatives in Miami, where he
had lived before returning to Cuba to pick up more passengers.
The US government forgot to notify the "human chain" they were on their
way to get Elian Gonzalez, and thoughtlessly showed up when the "human
chain" was asleep! The nerve of some people.
ETC., ETC.[/center]
