Dozens of protesters gathered in South Florida to protest the recent announcement by the Cuban dictatorship to allow exiles to invest and own businesses on the island nation and to continue their push for regime change. The group stood on the sidewalk outside Tropical Park in Southwest Miami-Dade and Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana on Thursday, holding signs that read “Political change first, business later” and “indict Raul Castro.” “We are here to support the Cuban people in their quest for freedom. They have suffered long enough. Sixty-seven years is more than enough of oppression without human rights, without liberty, with nothing,” said organizer Sylvia G. Iriondo. Demonstrators told 7News they are staunchly against the latest moves, calling the Cuban dictatorship liars. “People would be crazy to do business with them! Before, they stole everybody’s business; they took everybody’s business. Why would people go back and do business with them?” said a woman. Others said they are hopeful U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban heritage, will reach a deal that would require a change in leadership on the island nation. “For me, it’s a very personal thing. My family left Cuba when [Fidel] Castro took over, and ever since, they’ve been dreaming about coming back to Cuba, and we were raised knowing that one day, hopefully, Cuba will be free. We really feel that this is coming to a head finally after all these years,” said a woman. “Cuba needs a change, but a true change. The people and the regime responsible for the suffering of the Cuban people cannot be part of the solution. They have to go,” said Iriondo. This latest protest comes as Cuba continues to struggle under the crippling weight of blackouts caused by a fuel shortage and lack of basic resources that have worsened hospitals and slashed public transport. At the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Rubio called for new leaders in Cuba. “The people in charge, they don’t know how to fix it, so they have to get new people in charge,” he said. Back in Little Havana, protesters say they support the Trump administration’s actions. “Because [Rubio] is Cuban-American, he knows the feeling, he knows what we’re going through, and this is the right time, right moment. We all Cubans feel that something is going to happen,” said a man. He said he hopes change comes sooner rather than later. “Many Cubans will want to reconstruct their own country. We all dream of a free Republic; we’re going to make it, and it’s going to happen. Cuba is going to be free sooner than maybe we all think,” he said. “We still have family over there, and we just want freedom for them,” said another woman. President Donald Trump, during Tuesday’s event, said his administration will be doing something soon on the issue of Cuba. Cuba’s leader, Miguel Diaz-Canel, responded to Trump, saying any aggression will be met with resistance. ...read more read less