Religious leaders, opponents and representatives of exile met, convened by the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC), at the Presencia Viva church in Doral to pray for the end of the dictatorships.
MADRID, Spain.- Hundreds of members of the Cuban and Venezuelan exile communities in Miami-Dade County gathered this Sunday at the Presencia Viva Christian church, located in Doral, to participate in a prayer day dedicated to the liberation of Cuba and Venezuela.
The event, organized by the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC), brought together a wide representation of religious leaders, pastors, Masonic leaders, former Cuban political prisoners, exile leaders of different organizations, as well as local and federal officials and political figures. Among those attending were representatives linked to the White House and the mayor of Doral, Christi Fraga, along with dozens of community leaders.
Under the motto “Prayer for a free Venezuela and a free Cuba,” the activity combined moments of spiritual reflection, pastoral messages and a religious celebration in which they called for the end of dictatorships in both countries and for the reestablishment of fundamental freedoms.
Before the start of the event, the secretary general of the ARC, Orlando Gutiérrez, explained to CubaNet that the call responded to a spiritual dimension of the political process that both nations are experiencing. “We are going to unite in prayer for our people in Cuba, for the freedom of Venezuela, for the freedom of Cuba, as soon as possible. We know that this is an eminently spiritual battle for the salvation of Cuba,” he stated.
Gutiérrez pointed out that similar days are already taking place within the Island: “In Cuba, a series of prayers for change, for freedom, for the salvation of the country began this week and today we are doing our part here from Miami. God is being prayed to give strength to Venezuela and Cuba to conquer their freedom and to give strength to the Cubans for the salvation of Cuba.”
For his part, Pastor Edwin Castro, leader of the Presencia Viva church, highlighted the role of faith communities in times of regional crisis. «We have a role to support, to accompany the people of Latin America. It has been perhaps 10, 12 years that we have been praying for the case of Venezuela, but we also want to unite in the case of Cuba. We have many people in our community who belong to both the beautiful nation of Cuba and the beautiful nation of Venezuela. And I think it is our obligation not to be silent at a time like this, but to let them know that there is hope.”
“The Bible tells us that we must speak in favor of those who cannot speak, defend justice and defend the truth. So I believe that it is a charge that God gives us as leaders of faith to be present at a time like this,” he added.
Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer also participated, who highlighted the convergence between civic action and prayer. “We pray for the freedom of Cuba and Venezuela. Our people now deserve to enjoy the rights and freedoms that almost all nations on the continent have. And to achieve this, action and prayer are necessary, both are very important in any struggle,” he stated.
Ferrer added that he prays “that the entire American continent is aligned precisely in the defense of freedom, democracy, human rights, and a prosperous economy, a free market economy, that takes our nations out of the deep misery into which those dictatorships contrary to Christianity, contrary to all of God’s plans, have plunged our people.”
The day concluded with a religious ceremony and collective prayers for political prisoners, victims of repression and families affected by the humanitarian crises in Cuba and Venezuela, in an atmosphere of unity between faith communities, exile organizations and civic representatives of South Florida.
