The Cuban community gathered in Ottawa

More than a hundred members of the Cuban community in Canada gathered in front of Parliament in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon to defend the rights of Cubans who have been protesting for almost a week demanding democratic transition in their country.

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Armed with Cuban flags and placards proclaiming “Free Cuba” or “SOS Cuba”, the demonstrators rallied before marching through the streets of the capital to defend democracy in the island state, demanding an end to the “communist regime”. Of “dictatorship”.

Former President and brother of Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, has been widely accused of “imprisoning the people” over the current regime, and those in attendance have called for a general election in Cuba.

They chanted “We are not afraid” as they marched peacefully towards Sussex Drive to reach the area around the residence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

They condemned the silence of the liberal leader, accusing him of not taking an official position and taking definite action since the wave of demonstrations began in Cuba.

Mr Trudeau told a news conference on Thursday that he was “deeply concerned” about the situation and condemned the protesters’ arrests.

The climate in Cuba is still tense

Thousands of Cuban government supporters rallied on Saturday in response to the Cuban people who took to the streets days ago demanding freedom.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Connell attended the event, along with his brother Raul Castro, who led the revolution in 1959, and officially retired from April.

Dozens were injured, one was killed and more than a hundred were arrested in Cuba.

– With information from AFP