The Cubans Andry Toledano, Yordi Simón, Diulis Vázquez and Dayroh Alfonso who tried to reach New Orleans this weekend hidden on the ship Green Maveric, which was transporting chicken to the Island, were returned. “A Russian found us” and gave away, Vazquez told to América TeVé Miami.
According to what Vázquez told the same outlet, “they hid on the ship in a kind of boat behind it.” His idea was to arrive in New Orleans on Saturday, but a sailor frustrated his plans, despite the fact that they knelt and begged to be “released anywhere”.
“They told us that they would take us to New Orleans and we went to sleep,” said the only woman in the group of stowaways. “When we woke up they had already called the Border Guards, who took us back.”
The stowaways were questioned by the police. Diulis Vázquez said that she was released on Monday night, but that Toledano, Simón, and Alfonso, all workers at the port of Havana, “were kept detained in Villa Marista, the State Security headquarters,” fearing what could happen to them.
This Tuesday it was also reported that the Cuban pilot, Ruben Martinez Machadowho arrived in Florida last Friday, October 21 after leaving the island in a Russian-made Antonov aircraft, will continue to be confined in the Broward County detention center, according to his lawyer, Eduardo Soto, after the aviator’s first appearance before a Pompano Beach Immigration Court, Florida.
“They told us that they would take us to New Orleans and we went to sleep,” said the only woman in the group of stowaways.
The exodus of rafters showed considerable figures in the first month of fiscal year 2023 with 1,132 Cubans who have seen their attempt frustrated to land in Florida. The Coast Guard has repatriated 150 nationals in the last 24 hours.
In these escape attempts, several Cubans have ended up in the Cayman Islands, where until Monday the Customs and Border Control Service confirmed in a statement that there were 269 migrants waiting to complete their repatriation process, asylum application or some procedure.
At least 99 people had to disembark on the islands because on their journey “they ran out of food or fuel or because of vessels that were not seaworthy,” the document detailed.
No Cuban has been repatriated to Havana since before the pandemic, when borders were closed in both the Cayman Islands and Cuba.
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