Estefan Marches For Cuban Dissidents

The march was in support of “Ladies In White” which consists of the mothers and wives of 75 dissidents arrested by the Cuban government in 2003.

The march took place without incident, a contrast to last week’s Havana march by Ladies In White that resulted in pro-government groups surrounding the demonstrators, as well as government security agents applying choke holds to several of the participants.

Addressing the crowd, Estefan held up a photo of the Ladies In White as well as two gladiolas, the same flowers members of the group carry while marching. Estefan was joined on the podium by several other singers, including Pitbull, Natalie Jimenez and Luis Fonsi.

“Thank you Miami,” Estefan told the crowd. “We are a people united by our love for freedom. We are here with all our different flags. That is what this great country allows us to do.”

Cuba is hardly a leader in human rights, and video documenting the government’s abuse of participants in last week’s Ladies in White march in Havana was only the latest example of how Cuba treats dissidents.

“I see the rest of the world speaking out, I see the European Union speaking out, people who usually side with Fidel Castro,” Estefan said before Thursday’s march. “I thought, ‘My God. I’m a woman. I’m Cuban. I have the opportunity to speak out because of the music thing. It’s something I have to do.’”