Days before the second round of talks between Cuba and the United States begin, hundreds of people took to the streets of Little Havana to protest the Castro regime and President Obama's policies toward the island nation.
"The human rights violations in Cuba have been ignored by the Obama administration," Ana Maria Lamar said at Tuesday's protest.
Different Cuban exile organizations participated in the "March for Democratic Dignity", but local Venezuelans also joined the demonstrators to show their support.
"I'm here defending democracy, liberty," Angel Pardo-Nunez said.
"The Cuban exile community across all generations is united more than ever in demanding human rights, freedom, and multi-party elections for Cuba," Ana Carbonell said.
Tuesday also marks 19 years since the shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue aircrafts in international airspace. Cuban-piloted jet fighters shot them down, killing four men.
"It was hermanos del rescate who tried desperately to save the lives of children and every single rafter that left the island," Lamar said.
Local
In December, President Obama announced a prisoner swap with Cuba. One of the released spies was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the Brothers to the Rescue case, causing outrage among local Cuba exiles.
"Once we had all these criminals in the United States, those that were responsible, Obama released them," Lamar said.
The day of remembrance culminated with a solemn mass at Our Lady of Charity to honor those lost in the Brothers to the Rescue mission.
"We need the strength to go on because we intend to keep on fighting," said Maggie Alejandre Khuly, a sister of one of the victims.
