Denver Newsroom, Jul 20, 2022 / 14:52 pm
The archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Dionisio García, asked the Virgin Mary to move the hearts of those who can determine the fate of the Cubans imprisoned for demonstrating on July 11, 2021, and that they be released from jail.
Thousands of Cubans took the streets of major cities that day demanding freedom and protesting the unprecedented scarcity of basic necessities as well as the death rate due to the regime’s poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regime responded with a brutal crackdown, arresting many demonstrators. Trials followed with harsh prison sentences.
The prelate made his petition to the Mother of God after Mass on July 17 in the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, patroness of the country.
The archbishop recalled that approximately a year ago “we lifted up our prayers in a special way for the events that had happened the previous Sunday, July 11, when in many cities of our country there were demonstrations, people who wanted to express their views.”