By Jacqueline Charles. jcharles@herald.com . Published
Thursday, January 3, 2002 in The Miami Herald
Hoping to inspire a day of prayer for the freedom of all children living in
Cuba, the Cuban exile organization Democracy Movement plans to shoot off
fireworks near Havana on Saturday.
The event will occur between 9 p.m. and midnight in international waters,
about 12 miles off the coast of Cuba, Democracy Movement activist Pablo Rodríguez
said.
Saturday was chosen because it's the eve of Three Kings Day, or Epiphany,
the traditional holiday celebrated in many Latin countries with gifts for
children.
"We hope to inspire a day of prayer in Cuba,'' Rodríguez said. "We
also hope the children get to see fireworks. They don't celebrate anything right
now.''
Rodríguez said he, Alberto Pérez and Democracy Movement leader
Ramón Saúl Sánchez won't participate in the "naval
activity.''
The three are scheduled to stand trial in May for allegedly ignoring U.S.
Coast Guard warnings to return to international waters in a 23-foot speedboat
during a flotilla protest July 14. They have pleaded not guilty.
The case marks the first time anyone has been criminally charged with
venturing outside the federal security zone off Florida's coast without prior
approval. If convicted, the three defendants could each face up to 10 years in
prison and up to $20,000 in fines.
"We will be on dry land,'' Rodríguez said. "We will be
suffering . . . taking the punishment.''
Only two of the Democracy Movement's vessels, the M/V Democracia and the M/V
Human Rights, will participate in the fireworks display. They will leave Key
West at 11 a.m.
Copyright 2001 Miami Herald | 
