Posted on 04/10/2008 6:37:07 PM PDT by Huntress
HAVANA (Reuters) - The number of Cubans risking their lives to leave their communist-run country illegally by sea to reach the United States is rising, U.S. officials in Havana said on Thursday.
Since October 1, 2007, 2,891 Cubans have tried to cross the Florida Straits; 1,697 made it to the United States and were allowed to stay while the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted 1,194 and sent them back.
The U.S. officials said the figures showed that average Cubans had little faith that life would improve in the one-party socialist state under President Raul Castro, who succeeded his ailing brother Fidel Castro in February.
"The numbers continue to rise. That's the response of the Cuban people," U.S. Interests Section chief Michael Parmly told foreign reporters. "So many of them are young people. Why do they want to leave?"
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
After Hillbama is elected they wont bother. What would be the difference?
I got confused by the headline. I thought some loon was saying that more Cubans are leaving because the sea is rising. LOL
4 Cubans washed up about 1,000 yards from me last week. I heard the entire thing on my police scanner (it was over an hour of back and forth before they were all rounded up).
The weird thing is that there was never a mention on the local news or the local newsrag.
I didn’t imagine it. I was transfixed listening to the whole ordeal, yet no mention anywhere. I literally expected a telescoping newsvan doing a report for the morning or next evening news, but nothing.
Sea rising? Must be due to global warming.
I was going to ask the same thing. Mikhail Moore said that they have the best healthcare system of all 3rd world countries.
And if they’re going to leave, why aren’t they trying to get to the other socialist paradise - Venezuela?
There’s a pretty excellent little Andy Garcia movie I saw the other that takes place during the early days of the Cuban revolution called “Lost City” I saw the other day.
I’d highly recommend it. Hard to believe Hollywood produced a movie that’s anti-Fidel, anti-Che, and stresses family loyalty, freedom, and being self-made.
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