Coast Guard returns 23 rafters to Cuba

Three of them were on conditional release and will be made available to the courts for the “revocation of the benefit.” according to Cuban authorities.

5/15/2024 - 8:17am (GMT-5) |

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) repatriated this Tuesday 23 Cuban rafters who were intercepted in two different operations that prevented their arrival in the Florida Keys.

“The crew of the @USCG Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark repatriated 23 immigrants to Cuba on Tuesday, following two separate interdictions in the Florida Keys over the weekend,” the Coast Guard said on social media.

For their part, the Cuban authorities of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) indicated that among those repatriated were three people who were on conditional release and who will be made available to the courts for the "revocation of the benefit."

“Operation to return 23 irregular migrants by the US Coast Guard to Cuba. The 20 men and 3 women had participated indiscriminately in 2 illegal outings through Cárdenas and Mariel. There are a total of 39 returns with 545 people from different countries in 2024,” the MININT reported in X.

A report from the Cuban Television News (NTV) specified that the USCG vessel disembarked the rafters in the port of Orozco, Bahía Onda, in the province of Artemisa.

“Three of those returned were on conditional release for compliance with criminal sanctions at the time of leaving the country and will be placed at the disposal of the corresponding courts for the revocation of the benefit. Two others were transferred to the investigative body for being alleged perpetrators of criminal acts,” the Cuban news report indicated.

In so far this year, 545 people have been returned to Cuba by the coast guard of the United States and other countries in the Caribbean area.

Just a week ago, the USCG Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo repatriated 13 Cuban rafters, who were intercepted 32 miles southwest of Las Tumbas this Tuesday, according to official information, after a “good Samaritan” located them southwest of Las Tumbas.

At the end of April, a total of 19 Cuban rafters (17 men and two women), were repatriated by a USCG vessel that took them to the Port of Orozco. The group was intercepted after leaving the Island in a sail and motor boat and having passed nine days at sea due to bad weather.