Crowds of people continue to flock to Versailles after Fidel Castro death

MIAMI – Cuban flags waved on Calle Ocho in Miami for a third day Monday following the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

Just below its flag-draped facade, the crowd once again gathered at Little Havana's Versailles restaurant.

Local 10 News reporter Layron Livingston met Aleida Quintas, 78, who was born in Havana.

"I have been here 55 years," she said.

Quintas said she fled Cuba in 1961. She later retired from Miami International Airport after working in customs for more than 28 years. She said it's there that she met the late Cuban singer Celia Cruz.

"Every time that she go to the airport, she embraced me and she said, 'Chica. That guy (hasn't) died still?'" Quintas said.

Quintas said not even a celebrity could keep you from suffering under Castro's regime.

"He doesn't go where she is," Quintas said pointing to the sky. "He's going down there."

U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo was also at the cafe Monday morning, and said that most Cubans who migrated to South Florida lost everything they had.

"Now that he is gone, there is an opportunity to really get behind those opposition leaders in Cuba so that we can secure a better future for the people of Cuba, and also for the United States," Curbelo said.

 


About the Author:

Layron Livingston made the move from Ohio's Miami Valley to Miami, Florida, to join the Local 10 News team.