AREQUIPA, Peru – The Missing Migrants Programme of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported this Friday that the Cuban migration route to the United States has resulted in 142 deaths or missing persons so far in 2024, making it the deadliest in the Caribbean and one of the deadliest in the world.
As of August 30, at least 291 migrants have been reported missing or dead while navigating the dangerous Caribbean sea routes. This figure represents an 18% increase compared to the 247 victims recorded in all of 2023.
The route recorded by the IOM with the most victims (142) is the one from Cuba to the United States, followed by the one from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico (91), the route to the Canary Islands (15), and the one from Haiti to the Dominican Republic (one).
The regional monitor for the Americas for the Missing Migrants Project, Edwin Viales, said Friday that dangerous natural conditions, coupled with forced disappearances caused by traffickers, cause boats to disappear without a trace.
Morales participated alongside Viales in the online presentation of the figures compiled by the IOM, and presented the details of a research project on Cuban migration sponsored by the independent media The Touch.
The project has recorded 264 deaths and 650 disappearances of Cubans along migration routes in a study that extends to 2014.
Cuba is currently experiencing the largest migration crisis in its history, motivated by the serious economic situation and the lack of freedoms.
In this context, last week the Bahamian authorities returned Cuba a group of 16 migrants irregulars who had left the island illegally by sea. The group, made up of nine men, four women and three minors, all residents of the province of Villa Clara, was intercepted on the high seas by Bahamian forces and taken back to Cuba, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) reported on Wednesday.
The return of the migrants was carried out through the José Martí International Airport in Havana. The MININT, cited by the official Latin Pressindicates that one of the returned migrants was transferred directly to the investigative body, because he was suspected of having committed a crime; although no details of the crime were given.
With this new return, the number of returns of Cuban migrants from countries in the region so far in 2024 amounts to 1,046, returned in 66 repatriation operations. This figure reflects a constant increase in the irregular migratory flow from the Island, despite the difficulties and risks associated with these journeys.
