Shakira Supports Gloria Estefan's Freedom March

Gloria Estefan led a massive march that attracted thousands of demonstrators in Miami last week, and drew support from Shakira and Juanes.

“Today I join the call to action by Gloria Estefan to support the Ladies In White, who are true heroines of our time, exemplars of female courage and victims of the repression and violation of human rights in Cuba,” Shakira wrote on her website. “I hope that this rising up for the freedom of all political prisoners and respect for human rights will reach the very heart of all the tyrants and that above all, plants seeds of liberty in all the young people of the world, because it is us who justice depends on.”

Estefan led the march to support Las Damas de Blanco – Ladies in White – a campaign group made up of women whose husbands and sons were jailed for opposing the regime of former president Fidel Castro.

“Thank you Miami,” Estefan told the crowd. “We are a people united by our love for freedom. We are here with all our different flags. That is what this great country allows us to do.”

Singer Juanes used his Twitter account to support the march: “Amnesty, forgiving and forgetting … I am with you Damas de Blanco, I’m with you families of abductees, I’m with you … Freedom… Freedom for all the political prisoners, USA, CUBA, VENEZUELA, COLOMBIA … wherever they may be … freedom, please.”