Havana/“The work I am exercising is remodeling houses, making sporadically repairs, electricity things, tUpitions, everything that is found.” Daniel Llorente Miranda’s words, the “Man of the flag”sent to 14ymedio Via audio message, they make it clear that it continues to lead a precarious life in the United States, where it arrived almost four years ago, after a long journey after being banished from Cuba.
Llorente tells about his jobs with a good mood, and ensures that having the residence, he has no anxiety due to the hardening of Donald Trump’s migratory policies, but clarifies that his way of making a living is never fixed: “It is not something daily, in the week three jobs can come out, two can leave two or may not leave.”
He acknowledges that the best paid jobs are fixed, but it is not so easy to access one for someone of his age who also does not dominate English. However, the main reason why he has avoided a stable job is that he does not want anything to continue dedicating himself to activism for the freedom of the island. “Sometimes I have had to go to Miami to participate in actions. About four week ago I participated in a protest in the Florida Capitol. And if I am tied to a company, I could not move freely and fulfill the purpose for which I came to this country,” he explains. “Although people do not believe it, I’m still determined on the subject of Cuba.”
Three years ago, upon learning that Llorente was homeless, Buran offered free accommodation. Now it is the Cuban who returns the favor
From time to time, it is news in the local press, and for good. A few days ago, a Article published the newspaper Tampa Bay Times He narrated, for example, his history of solidarity with Ralph Buran, the American veteran with whom he shares a house.
Three years ago, upon learning that Llorente was homeless, Buran offered free accommodation. Now it is the Cuban who returns the favor. Both men, who do not speak the same language or come from the same culture, have raised their friendship as a new flag. “I continue in Tampa, in the same house that mentions the article. The American and I continue to live together,” he refers to this newspaper, while insisting that his main objective is to follow his political activity in exile.
“Everyone knows that I didn’t come because I wanted to go from Cuba, but because they took me out,” he recalls. The image of Daniel Llorente, sneaking into the parade of May 1, 2017 in Havana with a United States flag, turned the world. He would be banished a year later, but not before going through a psychiatric hospital, with the intention of justifying his imprisonment.
The time he spent from then until he touched US territory with his son Eliezer, in June 2021, was an odyssey, and included a Protest before the Cuba Embassy in Guyana. Then the “American dream” was nights and nights sleeping in a car.
Despite all the difficulties, nothing diverts him from his plans: fight for the freedom of Cuba. “That is my main purpose, that is my life plan, and I have faith that I will defeat with these thoughts that I have.”
He warns that he has a public action in mind in protest in the situation in Cuba. “I will tell you, they will find out,” he explains and hearing it is difficult not to remember by running for the esplanade of the Havana Revolution Square before the stunned eyes of the security guards, the generals with their olive green costumes and the foreign press.
