JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Jacksonville City Council showed official support of Cuban people’s freedom after unanimously approving a resolution Tuesday, everyone was also a co-sponsor.
Councilmember Al Ferraro filed a resolution last week asking for the council to express solidarity with Cuban protestors. He believes it’s simply a matter of supporting people's human rights and requested emergency passage.
"They have no habeas corpus in Cuba. In this insurrection, people are disappearing," one speaker said during the hearing. "Yet, people are standing up, willing to risk their lives calling for freedom. We need to send a message to the people of Cuba, we need to send a message to Washington DC that we stand with everybody who risks their life and cherishes and loves freedom."
One common theme among speakers was taking a stand against communism, which some of the speakers said is the root of the struggles in the country.
"We are victims from communism," another speaker said during the meeting. "Poverty, misery, hungry, lack of rights: It has to be very clear, we are not claiming for food, we don't need [the] vaccine, we need freedom."
The man continued to talk about the Cuban government purging citizens who spoke out against the government through arrests.