Gloria Estefan leads march for Cuban dissidents

[March 26, 2010]  MIAMI (AP) -- A teary Gloria Estefan has mounted the stage at the end of a march she spearheaded that drew thousands of demonstrators in Miami's Little Havana to support Cuban dissidents.

The Ladies in White are a group of Cuban mothers and wives of 75 dissidents arrested in a 2003 government crackdown there. Last week, as they marched through Havana to mark the anniversary of the arrests, pro-government groups surrounded them and state security agents put several in choke holds.

At Thursday's Miami demonstration, many brought children and grandparents.

Estefan held up a photo of the Ladies in White and two gladiola stems, the same flowers the Cuban dissidents carry when marching. Beside her were other singers, including Pit Bull, Willy Chirino and Luis Fonsi.

[Associated Press; By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ]

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