On Wednesday, May 5, at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Miami, the Presidential Forum Defense of Democracy in the Americas was held. Several former Latin American presidents participated in this meeting.

Among the guests such as writer and political analyst Carlos Alberto Montaner, audiovisual producer Asiel Babastro, musician Yotuel Romero recited the lyrics of his song "Patria y Vida," a song that infuriated the Castro regime when it was heard in Cuba at the beginning of the year.

"For me, it is a pleasure to be here on my behalf, and through me to be able to speak for many fellow Cubans who have been having a hard time for a long time," said the former Orishas vocalist as he greeted the audience.

In his speech, the singer highlighted the role of women in the struggle for democracy, spoke of the persecution and attempts to silence his voice for the speech he raises from his music and recalled that "rap was born to fight against censorship, to be the voice of the people, to speak for those who cannot speak." 

With this song, Yotuel seeks to oppose the Cuban revolutionary slogan "Patria o muerte" (Homeland or death), and invites people to change that slogan for that of Patria y Vida (Homeland and Life), to continue dreaming of a society that respects democracy.

For his part, the director of the song's video clip, Asiel Babastro, said that Cubans were "tired" of denouncing the violations of their rights while part of the world still believed the regime.

"What Cuba and its repressive mechanisms do is to violate individual rights and institute the exploitation of man by the State, forcing us to remain in a limbo of eternal gratitude," he said.