There were 13 of them, out on a little open boat for 10 days. This is where it all went down. Where their dreams were ended? delayed? I’ll probably never know the ending…
An otherwise lazy afternoon at Ambergris Caye was interrupted by the arrival of a boat full of Cuban refugees. It was a small open fishing boat, with improvised outriggers made of long branches sticking out to the sides with tires on the ends. 13 Cuban refugees had been out on the open sea of the Caribbean in this for 10 days.
They landed on the beach near my hotel. Some couldn’t walk after that long scrunched up in the boat, and were helped to shore. They were all so happy to be on dry land in Belize — some of them were hugging the trees, others kissing the ground. After their ordeal, they were finally free! But it was not to be…
The Belizean police showed up and took them all away. Everyone was in tears now, including many in the crowd who had gathered to watch the scene.
According to crowd knowledge, if they had landed in Mexico, the law would have let them stay in Mexico once they were on solid ground. If intercepted in Mexican waters, they would have been sent straight back to Cuba. However, the law in Belize is a bit different. Even though they hit solid ground, they’re not allowed to stay there. Instead, they’ll be patched up a bit, then put back on their boat & sent on their way again.
We’re all hoping the authorities provide them with medical attention, food, water, fuel, and instructions on how to get to Honduras, before they tow that little boat back out through the reef and set them afloat. I hope they make it.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Lisa Duff // Jul 17, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I hope they get somewhere besides back to Cuba.
2 Missy // Jul 17, 2008 at 8:33 pm
This was a heartbreaking story, and one which makes me appreciate the relative safety and comfort in which I live. It seems so heartless to send those brave people back onto the water to risk their lives again. I’ll offer up a prayer for their safety.
3 Violet // Jul 17, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Wow, it makes me wonder if they regret leaving Cuba in the first place. Terrible to have to live through.
4 Dwayne // Jul 17, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I hope they end up landed somewhere like Mexico, when they are sent off.
5 Deanna Keahey // Jul 20, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hi Violet - I don’t know about the whole group, but one of the guys said he’d rather if they shot him than sent him back to Cuba. It really was heartbreaking.
The deals that governments make at high levels are one thing, but when you see the impact on individual people, well that’s something totally different.
6 Jan // Jul 20, 2008 at 7:22 pm
This is a heartbreaking story. I hope these people can make it through another boat ride to who knows where. I hope they do end up somewhere in Mexico so they won’t have to go back to Cuba. It breaks my heart so bad when I hear stories such as this because there are so many people out there that don’t have the kind of freedom that we do. It does make me appreciate where I live alot more.
7 Antonya // Jul 20, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Wow this is an interesting piece, I hope that the Cubans make it out ok. There is one thing that brew major debate in America, definately in Miami, is the wet foot policy that is effecting the government and what to do with all of the new people that come to this country. I think as long as they are being civil to one another they should allow the freedoms that we as Americans sometimes take for granted and have normal productive lives.
8 Aris // Jul 23, 2008 at 6:07 am
That is very disheartening to feel like you are so close to freedom and then have it snatched away. It did sound hopeful, though. The authorities would send them on their way, but it does not sound like they will necessarily send them back to Cuba. I hope they get to Mexico or somewhere else safely.
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