South Florida boaters will travel to Cuba and light up the skies in support of islanders

MIAMI – A group of protesters gathered in a marina behind Bayside on Friday morning before heading 12 miles off Cuba.

The group left shortly before 8 a.m. and will stop in Key West to refuel before heading to the island.

The protesters who planned the event want to show their support for the Cuban people who are going through a humanitarian crisis. They want to show their solidarity with the thousands of Cubans who continue to demonstrate on the island, calling for an end to the decades-old communist regime.

The group doesn’t try to bring anything to the island, but does so strictly to show support for the people of Cuba.

A Cuban woman, Elizabeth Cintra Garcia, recorded a video of herself before showing up to a military unit after being cited following the widespread protests two weekends ago on the island.

Her mother says Cintra Garcia is still being held in a women’s prison in Santa Clara, accused of disrespecting authorities, spreading an epidemic, public unrest and inciting a protest.

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Reports continue to emerge from Cuba that protesters are being sentenced to prison terms without a fair trial.

Cintra Garcia’s mother said she had no words to express her pain as her 20-year-old daughter is now awaiting trial simply for protesting the government.

She calls on the international community to speak out on behalf of all young people in Cuba who will be unjustly prosecuted.

In her video, Cintra Garcia said that if anything happened to her, she blamed the Cuban government.

Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard will check South Florida protest boats by air and sea.

The group plans to stay idle around the island and as the sun sets they will light up the sky with Chinese lanterns, fireworks and flares to let the island nation know they support their cause.