A statue of José Martí was found vandalized in Miami, prompting a response from Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos A. Giménez.
The bust of Martí, a Cuban writer considered a national hero for his role in securing the island’s independence from Spain, was found destroyed this week outside Municipios de Cuba en el Exilio (Municipalities of Cuba in Exile) at 4610 NW 7th Street.
Pictures shared by the organization and Giménez show the statue on the floor, completely removed from the top of a monument, which also sustained damages
Miami police said the vandalism was reported on Thursday at around 10:17 a.m.
“This is absolutely a profound act of hatred towards the civil and patriotic organizations that are legally established in this exile community and particularly our organization that was established in 1963,” a statement from Municipalities of Cuba in Exile reads.
Police did not provide further information about the vandalism.
Giménez said in a post on X that he fully condemned the “pathetic, hateful attack against our Cuban exile community in Miami,” adding that the perpetrators “must be brought to justice!”
Simón Sánchez, president of Municipalities of Cuba in Exile, said: “I feel very bad because a Cuban patriot who has done nothing more than defend the freedom of our homeland–why are they doing this? It is vandalism, and we Cubans do not deserve this. And not only Cubans, no country in the world deserves that a statue of a patriot, of a man who fought for freedom, should have this done to it.”
However, the organization said it is appreciative of the community’s support.
“After all this misfortune, I feel very happy because the radio, television, politicians have all called me, they have put whatever we need at our disposal to fix this and for us, that is already bigger than what these vandals have done,” Sánchez said.
The monument will be repaired in the next few days, the organization said.
Still, they want whoever is responsible for the vandalism to face justice.
“There are many bad people who have come here and others who live here and who do not want freedom for this country,” Sánchez added.
