A coalition of Puerto Rican organizations across Florida have come together to denounce the murder of George Floyd and demand justice, drawing a connection between the systemic racism in U.S. law enforcement and the justice system to Puerto Rico after 
Hurricane Maria — during which 2,975 people on the island died and the president literally tossed them paper towels.
More than two dozen groups support the statement that boils down to justice for George is justice for all. This is not just about Minnesota.
Amen.
Coño, I wish the Cuban community in Miami-Dade would do something similar. But, if you’re like Ladra, you encounter a lot of Cuban-Americans who, instead, say that not all cops are bad and that blacks should get over slavery already. I mean, it was sooooo long ago. How ironic, right?
Read related: The Joe Carollo crisis management media tour is a joke, insult to Cubans
Cuban-Americans are precisely in a position to empathize and understand the pain that that black Americans have been feeling for decades. Their history and experiences in having to leave their country by force, how that is passed from one generation to the other, how that pain and loss continues to shape their lives, is something they share with the black community, whose ancestors were also torn from their country by force, and whose pain and consequences from that has been passed along for generations.
But instead of passing that along for 60 years of generations, black families have passed along their pain for centuries. And while 
Cuban Americans are arguably free from the grip of their oppressor, blacks still live within the confine of theirs. In fact, the “why don’t they get over slavery already?” excuse falls really flat when you realize that the Cuban Revolution was in 1959 and that Jim Crow laws that mandated and institutionalized segregation existed until 1964 and that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 halted (or, rather, seriously curbed) efforts to keep minorities from voting.
The early exiles know. They were greeted in Miami and Miami Beach with signs that said “No blacks. No Jews. No Cubans,” on rental buildings and were shocked that black people — who sat next to them on the buses in Cuba — had their own sections on buses and in restaurants, and their own water fountains. But it seems they have forgotten that discrimination as they have grown in both economic and political power that has remained elusive for most black Americans.
Read related: Young Cubans’ PAC shows generation gap is a myth
Ladra does believe most cops are good. I know a lot of them. But that doesn’t excuse the bad ones and the fact that the good ones let them get away with murder. There needs to be more resistance and reform from within the ranks than there is right now. Police departments cannot be clubs. That’s just too much like a gang.
The press release from the Puerto Rican organizations reads:
“The Puerto Rican community of Florida stands in solidarity with the pain of communities around the country at the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. This act of violence, at the hands of the Minneapolis police, against an unarmed African American citizen, is one of countless unjust arrests and murders that occur in the United States too often. These injustices are the product of systemic racism and white supremacy that exist in police agencies, the judicial system and in so many other sectors of our society.
We have seen how inequality and racism are embedded in the systems we have built to protect us. During the currentpandemic, our families have experienced firsthand a virus that has disproportionately affected African American and Hispanic communities with pre-existing conditions and limited access to health services. Studies have shown that police killings of black men affect the mental health of black communities dispropo
rtionately. This is an additional risk factor for the mental health crisis faced by racial minorities in the United States as a result of social determinants of health such as systemic oppression and racism.
We stand with our brothers and sisters who demand justice today because during Hurricane Maria, Puerto Ricans on the island were treated as second-class citizens while thousands of our loved ones died as a result of being marginalized. Many of us who live in Florida, particularly Afro-Puerto Ricans, have been victims of inequality. The anti-black racism that African-American communities survive every day is also felt in Afro-Latin communities. Black Puerto Ricans in the archipelago, and in the diaspora, live at the mercy of a racial scheme that degrades, dehumanizes, and curtails their basic rights to housing, health, education, and employment. The murder of George Floyd and the pattern of black genocide, goes beyond the streets of Minnesota. Therefore, it is necessary to show solidarity and join the anti-racist fight.
Black people are killed and treated as threats just because of the color of their skin. We demand justice for George Floyd and his family, and raise our voices against racism, violence and inequality. #BlackLivesMatter.”
Puerto Rican organizations supporting this public statement:
- Boricuas de Corazón Inc.
- Catalino Productions
- Jangueo Boricua Miami
- Vamos 4 Puerto Rico
- Our Revolution Puerto Rico
- VAMOS Puerto Rico-Comité Diáspora
- CrearConSalud, Inc.
- Del Ambiente
- PROFESA
- Iniciativa Acción Puertorriqueña
- Alianza for Progress
- Power 4 PuertoRico
- Puerto Rico Connect
- Boricua Vota
- Voces Unidas por la Educación
- Florida Immigrant Coalition
- JF Medina LLC
- Vacaciones con Estilo LLC
- Sunstate Quality Cleaning LLC
- Casa Wepa
- The Annual Puerto Rican Summit
- Parranda Puerto Rico
- Centro Cultural de Puerto Rico en el Sur de la Florida Inc.
- LatinoJustice PRLDEF
- Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
- Misión Boricua
- Hispanic Federation
Cubans should follow Puerto Ricans in demanding justice for George Floyd added by Ladra on
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Cuban Americans cannot be painted with one single brush stroke. Just this past week we saw plenty of young Cuban Americans participating in the peaceful protests that were held in city of Miami. I’m sure that some were also involved in the anarchist looting and mayhem that occurred in Bayside and other parts of the county as well.
Now to the reasons why older Cuban Americans do not show more empathy to the African American demand for social justice. In 1959, when the older generation of Cuban Americans were being placed in front of firing squads or were being handed 30 years prison sentences, were having their property confiscated and were forced into exile by Castro’s communist policy of “equality”, the majority of Afro Cubans applauded the coming of communism and were happy to take over the properties and jobs stolen from Cubans of European extraction. Upon arrival in this country, some middle or older generations of Cuban Americans worked menial jobs and forged a community that resulted in a huge financial success. Meanwhile, African Americans such as Jesse Jackson, Rangel, Beyoncé and JayZ and even South African President Nelson Mandela and many more were very happy to travel to Cuba to showcase the “wonders” of communism and to call Castro their friend. Where was the empathy of African Americans for the Cuban plight? Have you ever heard an African American express their concern for the Cuban suffering? Yet, Cuban Americans create companies and hire African Americans by the hundreds in this county and the Cuban Americans I know are not shy to tell you that what has happened in Minnesota is a sad travesty. If one is going to to analyze inter relations between different communities of people, we cannot cherry pick facts, we must look at the entire picture and for the last 60 years, both the African American and Cuban exile communities in this county have looked inwards to their own problem with little manifestation of care for each other.
Well said!
The real reason – and we know it so stop the wink wink lying, the false righteous indignation and making up excuses – is that many Cubans are racist and think like the supremacists that we’re better than blacks, just because of the color of our skin.
I’m so disgusted with the racist hatred of my compatriots! Racism is a disease of the soul that blinds people to commit injustices and blame the person wronged. How terribly dad.
You say many Cubans are racists. So are many Anglos, blacks, Jews and Asians. You cannot single out a group of people from one country and peg the whole lot as racists. While attending this county’s public school system, I remember having to defend myself against gangs of blacks who felt beating up Cuban kids was a sport. Yet, I do not feel “all blacks” are racist and I truly enjoy their friendship and company. Maybe if we looked beyond our differences and accepted each other as we are, this world would be a better place.
Para los que dicen “haz las cosas como los blancos.”
Para los que dicen que sus hijos no se pueden casar con una persona “negra.”
Para los que dicen que hay que “adelantar la raza” y casarse con alguien de piel blanca.
Para los que evitan ir al “barrio de los negros” y lo describen como tal.
Para los que generalizan y le llaman “una negrada” a las cosas mal hechas.
Para los que piensan que estas palabras no hieren.
Para los que no entienden que en su ignorancia siembran la semilla del racismo…
Hablen con sus padres y abuelos.
Porque hasta cuando vamos a excusarlos por ser de otra época… que se pongan al día porque no hay excusa.
Porque aunque estas palabras nunca las he repetido… muchos de nosotros lo hemos escuchado de nuestros mismos familiares que fueron acondicionados a pensar de una forma injusta y equivocada.
El racismo no es solo odio.
El racismo es prejuicio.
El racismo son generalizaciones.
El racismo nos perjudica a todos.
You are absolutely right. Some organizations, like the Cuban American Bar Association, have made a statement and stand ready to do more.
I am old enough to remember the bumper sticker, “Will the last American leaving Dade County please bring the flag.”
Cuban Americans can not be compare to Black American. It is actually an insult to even said that. These Cubans come from a priviledge class of Cubans who rode on the shirt tales of white Americans who actually control their country. And when Fidel Castro took over, they came to America on their own freewill.
Black Americans were never free. So the little freedoms that we got today, we had to fight for it. We were brought on slave ships against our wishes and forced into slavery.
On the other hand, most of the Cubans are of European descent that traces their ancestry to Spain. They are descendants of the Spain conquerors who took over large portions of the South Western Hemisphere from the indigenous people.
So again. Do not compare these people to Black Americans.
Besides, Black Americans leaders develop a close relationship with Castro. Because he over through the American government and establish equality amongst the races.
Before Castro, Blacks had no chance to be included in any medical program, which is all free. And blacks were not allow to practice their African beliefs.
These Cubans are given preferential treatment of Haitians and other Black people. Even though they are coming from a communist country and Haiti is a democratic republic. But America is about skin color.
Tom, you have obviously obtained your knowledge about Cuban Americans by listening to the leftist rhetoric spewed by Castro’s government parrots. That is exactly the sentiment expressed by one of the earlier comments. You do not understand nor care about the Cuban American plight. You care about solving your own problems.
Instead of bashing Cuban Americans for simply existing, you should look inwards to your African American community for the causes of your inequality. Violence, broken homes and a love for the “thug life” expressed in the rap music you so love have gotten you here. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and stop crying about spilled milk. This is America and if you work hard you can accomplish your dreams. No one owes you a living.
Tom ,
I do not disagree with you but for the most part , Cubans of which I am are a voting machine which no other Hispanic group comes near and certainly not African Americans .
So no voting = invisible .
I will say that there are plenty in Miami who I call KKKubans but that is not going to change and things do not change when people who need to be voting AND doing jury duty do not .
I had jury duty like 6 months ago and every ” Black ” came up with a reason to not do it , the Judge new it was bull but he just wanted to move things along .
Btw , I was born in Cuba , lived there after Fidel had destroyed it and it sucked for everyone regardless of complexion but I agree that lots of racism in the Cuban world , HOWEVER I see the same in the other Hispanic tribes here in Doral so its not just owned by us .
Just put on Hispanic news which is not Cuban run and you wont see ant Black Hispanics or who we call ” Indio ” .
The Cubans in Miami tend to be Southern , Florida Cubans and can be very different then Cubans in NY , NJ and California . At least this has been my experience .
Pepe Gomez,
I would not want to be negro in the USA or Latin America . We do not suffer the same nonsense they do .
Being Cuban who people think I’m Italian though as we know no actual look for us , I am not subjected to what they are .
I was at the supermarket when the mask thing started , they hired an off duty copy but in uniform to enforce rules and a Black woman had her mask below her nose , the cop told her to raise it , put it on correctly .
TWO White Hispanic women had their masks off as they spoke on their phones and the cop didn’t say a word to them .
Living in Doral I see the same from other Hispanics so its just not Cubans and agree with you that the ” thug life ” is a disaster but putting that aside , it is much easier for lighter skin Cubans which suspect you are like I am then darker skin as there is a double standard .
I hate being PC as I’m just caustic by nature , lol pero hablo la verdad .
“off duty COP ” not copy .
” Ladra does believe most cops are good. I know a lot of them. But that doesn’t excuse the bad ones and the fact that the good ones let them get away with murder. There needs to be more resistance and reform from within the ranks than there is right now. Police departments cannot be clubs. That’s just too much like a gang.”
That is the problem. The police have NEVER been able to police themselves , the real world does not work like that and power does corrupt , especially when no real need to worry if you abuse it .
The unions protect bad police and in doing so they only hurt good police and as of right now that is the rule .
I was in the Army and it’s the same thing , Military does not police itself EVER . That is a lie . Best case a few privates take the fall , if even that .
Most cops are good cops but the heavy handed , those with psychological issues and outright crooks are protected by the union and the silence of other cops .
A cop who comes forward can kiss their career good bye and that is reality so now they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t .
I thought of going into the police when I finished school but I would have gone to jail , lol and rightfully so the second I gave a ticket for parking in a handicapped spot ( RARELY enforced here ) and the person gave me any lip about it as that is my biggest Miami pet peeve .