The ship’s crew comet of the Mexican Navy Secretariat notified the Puerto Juárez captaincy last Tuesday about a drifting “raft” 90 nautical miles north of Isla Mujeres, one of the illegal landing points for Cubans in recent years, which a fisherman denounced 14ymedio.
According to a statement from the department34 rafters were traveling in the “homemade boat”, among them a woman and 33 men from Cuba, who were trying to reach Mexico when they were intercepted by two coast guard boats.
The Cubans were treated by naval health personnel, who indicated that they were all in good health and were transferred to the Puerto Juárez naval station, where they were handed over to agents of the National Institute of Migration.
A municipal security officer identified as Horacio Márquez confirmed that the island’s nationals requested refuge. Migration collected the identity cards and seven passports. “By applying for refuge, the law allows them to remain in Mexico until the case is resolved.” In article 7 of the Law on refugees, complementary protection and political asylum it is emphasized that “no penalty will be imposed” for his illegal entry.
Márquez specified that this group of Cubans is the first known to be on Isla Mujeres this year. “The last week of October 2022 a similar group arrived. On that occasion 30 rafters were arrested, which were linked to coyotes, but nothing was proven. Most went on their way to the United States.”
The Migration Law establishes in article 69, paragraph V, the possibility of “regularizing their situation,” but several Cubans have denounced extortion and arbitrary detention during their incarceration in immigration stations.
This detention of 34 Cubans comes a week after the journalist Fátima Vázquez denounced that at least 15 nationals of the Island They had disembarked on San Miguelito beach, located near kilometer 13.5 of Kukulcán Boulevard, the main avenue that connects to the Cancun hotel zone.
The municipal security officer Horacio Márquez said he did not know whether an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office on the routes of migrants. “There is nothing out of the ordinary. We see it with this group, which was sighted by sailors from the ship cometbut not for surveillance work”.
This Thursday another rescue of rafters was registered. The Norwegian ship Bow Summer provided assistance to seven Cubans whose boat was adrift 100 miles from Yucatan. “They were without food or drink, and about to be taken further out to sea. We brought them on board and provided them with dry clothing, food and drink,” Capt. Tor-Gisle Bjerknes said.
The arrival of these 49 Cuban rafters in Mexico occurs just as the United States Coast Guard has reiterated that the borders are not open. The agency specified in its social networks that “a strong maritime presence is maintained to detect and intercept anyone who tries to migrate illegally by sea.”
This Thursday, another group of 28 people returned to the island aboard the ship isaac mayo. According to official figures, in the last six months the US has returned more than 2,200 Cubans.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio He is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for accompanying us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
