SHOWING SUPPORT: Annette Gonzalez cheers during the march.

United in their desire for a free homeland, tens of thousands of Cubans linked arms and marched down Calle Ocho in Little Havana on Saturday and vowed to never forget, to never give up.

The March of Patriotic Reaffirmation -- which began at a monument to those who died in a failed attempt to forcefully retake the island and ended at a park named for Cuba's greatest poet -- brought together young and old, Hispanics and Anglos, Cubans who were forced to leave the island and Cuban-Americans who have never seen it -- yet feel as if they know it through their parents' memories.

``I want Cuba to be free from Castro,'' said Jennifer Fernandez, 15, a sophomore at the Berkshire School in Homestead. ``My grandmother came here many years ago and she died before she was able to see a free Cuba. I promised her I would take her body back with me when I return to our free Cuba one day, and I will.

``Adelante.''

Adelante, Adelante, Adelante -- Forward, Forward, Forward -- a phrase often used by the late Cuban exile leader Jorge Mas Canosa -- were repeated throughout the day as up to 80,000 people answered a call to come together, according to Guillermo Rivas, a member of one the 22 Cuban exile groups that sponsored the event, and Miami Police Chief Donald Warshaw.

IN UNITY: Thousands of people chant slogans and march at Jose Marti Park.

``The crowd seems to be getting larger and feeding off itself,'' Warshaw said at Jose Marti Park, site of an hourlong rally that followed the march. ``A lot of it has to do with the recent death of Jorge Mas Canosa. There is a lot of energy in the Cuban community.''

Many, like 82-year-old Maria Garcia, of Hialeah, said they turned out as a tribute to Mas Canosa, who died Nov. 23.

``We are very happy with the turnout,'' said Alberto Hernandez, new chairman of the Cuban American National Foundation, which Mas Canosa founded and led.

Remembering Mas Canosa

Banners honoring Mas Canosa -- and 7,000 CANF posters with his picture and the words ``Jorge Mas Canosa Lives, We will continue forward'' -- were carried by many of those who walked for 2 1/2 hours from the Bay of Pigs Memorial at Eighth Street and Southwest 13th Avenue to the emotional rally at the park, at Fourth Street and 14th Avenue, where a life-size effigy of Fidel Castro in military attire hung from a tree.

In the crowd: U.S. Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mayors Alex Penelas of Miami-Dade, Xavier Suarez of Miami and Raul Martinez of Hialeah, and scores of other city and county politicians.

But this was a march of the people.

For Angela Cruz and Rene Delgado, who moved here from Cuba just 20 days ago, attending a public demonstration in which they could speak freely against Castro felt almost surreal.

``These marches, these demonstrations are incredible because I finally find myself not limited and free to speak,'' said Cruz, 46. ``It is wonderful to see so many people here in the United States supporting the people of Cuba.''

Maria Elena Perez, a teacher at Ruben Dario Middle School in Sweetwater, walked beside her 73-year-old wheelchair-bound father, Olympio Perez.

``This is our chance to scream, `They took everything from us, but we're still fighting on,' '' she said.

`Cuba cries'

Organizers said they accomplished their mission: to bring attention to the brutal repression of human rights in Cuba, to reinvigorate the fight for a free and democratic society there, and to oppose the Pilgrim's Cruise to Havana that is to take Miami Catholics to Cuba for Pope John Paul II's visit in January.

``Miami Cubans, Pope John Paul II and Fidel Castro = Oil and Vinegar,'' read one sheet-sized banner carried by the marchers. ``They do not mix well.''

Above them, a plane pulled a much-booed banner that supported the exiles' trip to see the pope in Cuba: ``Liberation no. Catholicism = Liberty.''

``Those are infiltrated provocateurs,'' Barbara Aquía, 68, said as she shielded her eyes from the sun to get a better look at the banner. ``We do want liberty for all.''

Many marchers purchased T-shirts, hats and other Cuban memorabilia.

``It's selling like pan caliente [hot cakes],'' said Albert Sanchez, 71, who said he sold hundreds of Cuban flags, hats and T-shirts in just two hours -- at $10 a pop.

Some bore Mas Canosa's words, others simply read, ``Cuba llora'' (Cuba cries).

``There is a good atmosphere here,'' Sanchez said, as the marching band from Lincoln Marti School passed by. ``All of us are longing to leave to Cuba.''

``Everybody knows that if we don't unite, Cuba will die,'' said Ezequiel Lopez, 42, of Perrine, who came to the United States in the 1980s and rode his motorcycle in the march.

While some walked with banners -- ``Cuban Brothers: In Unity we will find strength,'' ``Clinton and others ignore the communist slavery of the Cuban people. Shame!'' -- others held on to enormous Cuban and U.S. flags that spanned the width of Calle Ocho.

``One day we'll be able to fly that Cuban flag in El Malecón,'' said Justina Perez, 68, refering to the famed seawall of Havana.

Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald