The LED sign of a MetroLink bus in Miami was spotted praising Cuban authoritarian leaders Fidel and Raul Castro. Passengers and pedestrians were surprised to see the sign read "Viva Fidel y Raul," which translates to "long live Fidel and Raul." The bus was spotted passing through the intersection of 8th Street NW and 49th Avenue.
MetroLink is a new mobility free service in Miami Dade County that uses small vehicles to improve accessibility and connects residents from areas with limited transportation services to key destinations such as the Miami International Airport, Tri-Rail, and Miami Beach.
"It caught my attention because I saw it from afar," Miami resident Dayán Ramírez, who recorded the video, told Telemundo 51 Miami.
Another local resident in that area, Idael Díaz, told the outlet 51 that he contacted the County Department of Transportation to file a formal complaint. "I couldn't allow a message like that to circulate on the streets of Miami," Díaz said.
The Miami Dade Department of Transportation confirmed to Telemundo 51 that they are aware of the incident and are investigating the matter. An official statement is expected to be released and it will clarify the details and measures they plan to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The incident comes as Cubans in Florida are increasing their warnings about former regime members seeking to enter the United States. The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba compiled a database including over 1,000 people who, it says, were part of the government and engaged in surveillance, harassment, bullying and the imprisonment of dissidents and peaceful demonstrators, and now want to go to the country.
Rolando Cartaya, a researcher in the organization, said in late August that 115 are already living in the country. They include former high-ranking officials in the Communist Party, Interior Ministry officials, police officers, government attorneys and judges.
"These people who repressed us, who beat us, are living and enjoying freedom in this great country," said Elixir Arando, a member of the organization, in a press conference covered by the Miami Herald.
Attendants added that while former regime members have been moving to the U.S. for years, those included in the list have not publicly repudiated it and could pose a "national security" threat. "They are going to be voting to destabilize the country," Arando said during a passage of the conference.
Many have been entering the country through the CHNV humanitarian program that allows Cubans, along with Venezuelans, Haitians and Nicaraguans, apply for asylum in the country.
Some cases have not gone under the radar, causing outrage among public figures. Florida Republicans recently sent a letter to the Biden administration demanding to know how Manuel Menendez Castellanos, who according to Cuban outlets was a secretary in the party and close to Fidel Castro, was allowed to enter the country.
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