MIAMI, United States. – During a vigil held this Monday nightOn the eve of the 30th anniversary of the downing of two Hermanos al Rescate planes, organizers and participants demanded “justice” for the death of four crew members and supported the initiative of congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez and María Elvira Salazar to prosecute Raúl Castro for what happened on February 24, 1996.
That day, three Cessna planes from Brothers to the Rescue, which were carrying out a humanitarian mission with the purpose of rescuing rafters “were pulverized in international airspace without prior warning,” which “put an end to the lives of four human beings who faithfully represented the exile.” At the vigil the victims were remembered by name: Mario de la Peña, Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre and Pablo Morales.
The vigil included a minute of silence for the victims.
One of the keynote speakers, Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronatgeneral secretary of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC), called for “finally the prosecution of Raúl Castro for the massacre of February 24, 1996,” and maintained that “the crimes of humanity cannot go unpunished.”
In his speech, the opponent of the island’s regime stated that the vigil was also directed to God and the US authorities.
Gutiérrez-Boronat linked the claim with the support for the families of the deceased and the request formulated by the Cuban-American congressmen from South Florida, stating that “the new Cuba that is coming cannot be born without justice.” During the event, the case of political prisoner Roilán Álvarez Rensoler was also mentioned, who was said to have been on a hunger strike for “24 days” and that “his life is in danger.”
At another point in the vigil, a symbolic roll call was held with the public responding “Present!” upon hearing the names of the deceased.
One of the family members, who participated as a speaker, maintained that they have waited “30 years” for justice and demanded that those responsible be prosecuted “starting with Raúl Castro,” while arguing that allowing impunity for the murder of American citizens in international airspace puts others at risk: “If you allow American citizens to be murdered, four American citizens, we are all in danger.”
Towards the final part, he introduced himself to Sylvia Iriondosurvivor of the attack against the Hermanos al Rescate planes. “Sylvia was the representation of the Cuban woman on that fateful day,” said the vigil leader. “She was chased near the coast of Florida and the operation was aborted.”
The vigil also included a prayer in which it was asked that the demand for justice not lead to hatred and that, instead, serenity prevail.
