KEY WEST -- With red roses, bunched balloons and no clashes, Cuban exiles raised a prayer for freedom in their homeland Saturday from planes and boats in the Florida Straits.

As U.S. Coast Guard and Cuban government boats stood by in case of confrontations, Movimiento Democracia's 10-boat flotilla sailed to 14 miles off the coast of Havana in hopes of rallying Cubans on the island to demand freedom.

Unlike previous flotillas, Saturday's sailed south and north again with no mishaps or run-ins with the Cuban government, steering clear of Cuba's 12-mile maritime border. The U.S. government had threatened, under a new policy, to confiscate boats and to fine captains who strayed into Cuban waters.

Friday and Saturday, boats displaying American and Cuban flags left from the Keys. Bad weather in Miami kept some planes from participating. Seven originally planned to go, but only three took off for the Straits under a heavy downpour.

Saturday afternoon, a reduced Democracia contingent gathered at sea for prayers and patriotic words with Coast Guard cutters as backdrop. Exiles planned the ceremonies to coincide with dissident demonstrations on Cuba's coasts. The flotilla also promoted an unscheduled national work stoppage to protest economic conditions on the island.

Participants and supporters began gathering at Key West's Municipal Marina in Garrison Bight at 5 a.m. Saturday.

``This flotilla is smaller than expected,'' Democracia leader Ramon Saul Sanchez said. ``But our spirits are raised.''

Charter boats were scarce, organizers said, because captains feared having their vessels confiscated under new U.S. government regulations on travel to Cuba.

At 6:35 a.m., under dawning skies and a slight drizzle, the eight boats revved their engines and shoved away from the docks amid choruses of the Cuban national anthem.

``Lord, please allow the walls to fall, the doors to open so that we may return to our homeland,'' Sanchez said before departing.

Goal partly accomplished

Although the showing was small, organizers said they accomplished part of their goal: to make the Cuban government scramble in preparation for their arrival and get the word out among Cubans about the group's goals.

``Castro has mobilized,'' Sanchez said. ``He has been attacking the Movimiento Democracia and the Cuban people have learned about the flotilla and our purpose''

Confrontations between exiles and the Cuban government in the Straits have been particularly tense since Cuban MiGs downed two Brothers to the Rescue planes 15 months ago.

U.S. officials warned organizers they would put themselves at high risk if they sailed into Cuban waters without permission.

Cuban officials called the flotilla a new provocation against their country and vowed to take all necessary measures to keep participants from violating the island nation's water and air space.
``They don't believe that we go only with flowers, and that way we make them nervous,'' participant Frank Ondarza said. ``The main thing is to put the Cuban army on the move, just to bother them. You know how much money they spend just to watch us?''

No questions asked

The Coast Guard decided against questioning skippers about their plans after flotilla organizers promised they would stay clear of Cuban waters.

Under a new Coast Guard policy, those cutters and helicopters closely monitored the operation, nevertheless, and made sure boat owners complied with safety laws.

Saturday's flotilla was the sixth organized in international waters near Cuba by Movimiento Democracia -- which promotes civil disobedience on the island -- since July 1995. Several boats broke down on the way back, including the lead boat, the Democracia, which was being towed back to the Keys Saturday night.

Some of the earlier excursions ended badly. In the first, two Cuban gunboats rammed the lead boat, Democracia, injuring some participants. Another flotilla ended within hours after a hired fishing boat foundered off Key West. A man aboard died of a heart attack.

Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald