Plaza De La Cubanidad
Plaza De La Cubanidad
No tour of Miami's Little Havana would be complete without a stop at the Plaza de la Cubanidad. This corner of Little Havana is dedicated to the men, women, and children who reside in the six Cuban provinces. Also, the people who were drowned by Fidel Castro's forces while trying to escape from Cuba aboard a ship called "13 de Mayo." The ship was sunk on July 13, 1994 off the coast of Cuba.
You will walk upon the redbrick sidewalks that surround a fountain and monument with the words of Jose Marti, a leader in Cuba's struggle for independence from Spain and a hero to Cuban refugees and immigrants in Miami. The quotation, "las palmas son novias que esperan" which translates as "The palm trees are waiting brides", brought hope and strength to millions of Cubans.
The Plaza De La Cubanidad was recently used to honor the passing of Andres Nazario Sargen who was the leader of an anti-Castro group called Alpha 66 that fought for the majority of his life for democracy on the currently communist island.
This is a very pleasant place to spend a quiet afternoon walking the well maintained walk-ways and admiring the manicured grounds. The monument speaks for itself with its somber honoring of the people who have been fighting against the idea of communism within their homeland since Castro took over in 1959. With Miami's great climate, almost any time of year is a great time to visit, but early Spring will find the Plaza at its most lush and you will see an abundance of flowers throughout the park.
The next time you are in Miami, be sure to visit the Plaza De La Cubanidad and get a real taste of the Cuban flavor that Miami holds so near to its heart.
