The Coast Guard of the United States returned this Friday to Cuba a group of 68 rafters, As reported the entity itself.
The migrants, whose gender and age details are not provided, were returned to the island in Coast Guard cutter Richard Snyder, after being intercepted in several operations in waters near the state of Florida.
These operations took place between Monday and Tuesday of this week, in the vicinity of Marquesas Key, Key West and Key Colony Beach.
#Update #Final @USCG Cutter Richard Snyder repatriated 68 Cubans to #CubaFriday.
“Choose a safe, legal path for migration so families and loved ones aren’t wondering if you are lost at sea.” – Lt. Miller, USCG D7.
Read: https://t.co/uCJmi8LSjZ@USEmbCuba #DontTakeToTheSea pic.twitter.com/dw9nmguGcK
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 14, 2022
“Coast Guard teams and our partner agencies want to make sure families aren’t left wondering where their loved ones are when they choose to immigrate to the U.S. illegally,” said Lt. Matthew Miller, Coast Guard District Seven. , who recommended that Cubans choose “a safe and legal path” to travel to US territory to avoid loss of life at sea.
Also on this day, it was reported thatBorder Patrol people along with other northern authorities “responded to three migrant landings and encountered 43 Cuban migrants.” “Each event involved a rustic or home-style boat,” he added on Twitter. officer Walter N. Slosar, who He explained that “the investigation is ongoing” and did not advance a possible date of repatriation to Cuba of the intercepted rafters.
#BREAKING: On #fridaymorning, US Border Patrol agents along with federal, state, and local LE partners responded to three migrant landings & encountered 43 Cuban migrants. Each event involved a rustic or homemade style vessel. Investigation is ongoing.
#keybiscayne #Florida pic.twitter.com/C7uRRRt1h5— Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar (@USBPChiefMIP) October 14, 2022
Since October 1 of this year, the US Coast Guard has intercepted 388 Cuban rafters in operations in US waters. In fiscal year 2022, which ended one day before that date, 6,182 migrants from the island were rescued, the highest figure in recent years, even above 2016, when the numbers closed at 5,396.
Under bilateral agreements on migration issues, migrants intercepted at sea by US authorities are regularly returned to Cuba.
The Caribbean country is currently going through a strong migratory wave that has multiplied not only the number of rafters who venture to cross the Straits of Florida, but also the number of migrants who make the journey overland through Central America to the Mexican border. and the United States.
The number of Cuban migrants who entered the United States in fiscal year 2022 was around 200,000, according to reports from the Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), higher than that of previous waves and mainly motivated by , in the opinion of analysts, due to the severe economic crisis that the Island is currently suffering.
