MADRID, Spain.- Cuban border guards intercepted a dozen people on Monday who were trying to leave the island, along the Havana Malecón, in a rustic boat that had a United States flag painted on it.
“Associated Press and several other journalists who were trying to decipher what was happening, watched as the passengers were removed from the raft in broad daylight, less than 500 meters from the United States embassy in front of the Malecón”, reported the agency PA.
“The border guards dragged the raft towards the Malecón while the journalists followed behind to follow up on the incident. One of the witnesses yelled at them: ‘Let them go!’ Many Cubans present seemed confused with what was happening,” the information added.
The migrants were taken to a port captaincy station near the place.
According to witnesses told AFPtwo of the rafters had previously jumped into the sea and swam to the coast, where they were detained by the authorities.
The event was filmed from the Riviera hotel, in Vedado. The video has been shared by several users on social networks, including the activist Yannis Estrada.
“Imagine the degree of desperation of the people to attempt this type of illegal exit through this area,” Estrada said in a post from Twitter.
?? | A group of Cuban rafters were intercepted by the regime’s border guards a short distance from the Havana boardwalk, near the Riviera Hotel.
Imagine the degree of desperation of people to try this type of illegal exits through this area. pic.twitter.com/mmdCIgMjFT
— Yannis Estrada (@YannisEst) December 12, 2022
In October 2022, the border guard troops of the island’s regime sank in Honda Bay, Artemisa Province, a boat that transported Cubans to the United States. Seven people died as a result, including a little girl.
During this fiscal year, which began last October, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has intercepted 2,982 Cubans. While in the previous one 6,182 were intercepted.
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