Currents News Staff
At the end of the Pope’s Angelus, a chant broke out among the crowd.
“Freedom, freedom, freedom…”
There were between 100 and 200 Cubans who had arrived from different countries in Europe to protest against the dictatorship, repression and political prisoners in Cuba.
Following protocol, the police did not allow the political protesters into St. Peter’s Square for the Pope’s Angelus.
And those who did make it into the Square had their flags confiscated.
The demonstrators lay on the ground in support of the more than 500 Cubans who were arrested following the protests in July.
The Vatican opposes violent repression and the suppression of freedom in Cuba and everywhere else, but it is nonetheless forbidden to use St. Peter’s Square for political protests.
The last time Pope Francis spoke about the situation in Cuba was in July, during the protests.
“I am also near to the dear Cuban people in these difficult moments, in particular to those families suffering the most,” said Pope Francis. “I pray that the Lord might help the nation build an increasingly just and fraternal society through peace, dialogue and solidarity.”
Since the end of August, groups of Cubans with Cuban flags have been attending some of the pontiff’s public events.
The Cuban people are dying because we lack freedom.
We come here every Wednesday and Sunday to ask for mercy and for him to intercede for the Cuban people.
“…Support, support for our people, who are dying.”
The Cuban opposition is rallying people on the island for another wave of protests on Nov. 15. But the Cuban government has prohibited them and called them illegal.