Miami's Shrine of Our Lady of Charity Honors Cuban Protesters, Calls for Justice and Freedom

Marking the fifth anniversary of the historic July 11, 2021 protests in Cuba, Miami's Shrine of Our Lady of Charity shared a poignant message this Saturday on social media. The message commemorated those who courageously took to the streets in Cuba and offered prayers for those who continue to suffer the consequences of their actions.

"Today, we honor with respect and hope those who, on July 11, 2021, peacefully protested in Cuba, demanding freedom, justice, and dignity. We also offer our prayers for those still enduring imprisonment, persecution, exile, or enforced silence," the shrine stated.

The message placed Cuba under the protection of the Virgin of Charity with a specific plea: "On this 5th anniversary of 11J, we place Cuba under the care of Our Lady of Charity, Mother of all Cubans, asking her to guide her people towards reconciliation, truth, and liberty."

Previously, the shrine had shared a video from July 2021 featuring Cuban bishops and priests from the diaspora expressing solidarity with the Cuban people. Among those voices was Monsignor Felipe de Jesús Esteves, who proclaimed, "For all and the good of all, charity unites all born in Cuba. Virgin of Charity, save Cuba."

Another priest in the video asserted, "The Cuban people have the right to live in freedom, to live in democracy, to pursue their prosperity. It's time for a change in Cuba." The shrine emphasized that "their words remain relevant" and affirmed their unwavering commitment to accompany the Cuban people "with prayer, truth, and Christian hope."

This spiritual call comes at a time when the repression stemming from 11J has not ceased. It is estimated that 338 individuals remain jailed directly due to those protests, with the total number of political prisoners in Cuba reaching a historic high of 1,281 by May 2026, according to human rights organizations.

The pardon of 2,010 prisoners announced by the regime on April 2, 2026, specifically excluded those sentenced for "crimes against the authority," under which the majority of 11J protesters were criminalized.

A particularly notable case is that of artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who made headlines when he was removed from Guanajay prison on July 7 without his family being informed of his whereabouts. Amnesty International labeled the situation as enforced disappearance, while the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances initiated urgent action, setting July 25 as the deadline for the Cuban state to provide a report.

The 11J protests represented the largest wave of anti-government demonstrations in Cuba since 1959. They began in San Antonio de los Baños and spread to over seventy cities with shouts of "¡Patria y Vida!" The regime responded with violence: President Díaz-Canel declared on television, "The combat order is given," with Justice 11J documenting at least 1,558 detentions and one protester, Diubis Laurencio Tejeda, was fatally shot in La Güinera.

In Miami, the organization Cuban Freedom March organized a rally on Calle Ocho with the theme "Actions, not words," while exile groups in Madrid held a gathering at Puerta del Sol to commemorate the fifth anniversary.

The Shrine, which also celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, concluded its message with a sentiment shared by the exile community: "Let this date not be just a memory, but a commitment to keep hope alive and never cease praying for our homeland."