Cuban doctor Adrián Pupo Ojeda, freed last Saturday after being kidnapped in Tapachula, Mexico, during his migratory journey to the United States, advised other migrants not to risk undertaking such a dangerous journey or at least to always exercise utmost caution.
The young man, 28 years old and originally from Puerto Padre, Las Tunas, recently stated in an interview with journalist Mario J. Pentón for Martí Noticias that what he experienced was "very hard."
"It was a very, very hard experience. One never prepares for such a dangerous situation," he stated, still visibly affected from an emotional standpoint.
"I do not recommend it to anyone. They should do their research and look for the best option to avoid going through such a difficult experience," advised Pupo, warning others about the risks associated with irregular migration through Mexican territory.
"I thought I could lose my life at any moment, that I would never see my family or the sunlight again," he said while recalling how he was kept locked in a room while his captors demanded money from his family in Cuba through video calls.
He went through the harsh experience alongside another Cuban couple who has also been released. Pupo Ojeda says he stays in touch with them, as they too remain in hiding.
The doctor, who has his wife, his nearly two-year-old son, and his parents in Cuba, remains determined to reach U.S. territory, but he still does not have an appointment with CBP One.
The case of Pupo became known after his parents recorded a video pleading with the kidnappers not to harm him and to release him.
In the case of Pupo Ojeda, the kidnappers initially demanded $10,000 for his release, but after raising about $5,000 through donations organized by friends, he was ultimately freed.
The announcement was made in a Facebook post by Dariannis (Dary) Méndez, a close friend of the doctor, who reported the kidnapping from the United States and launched a plea for help to cover the ransom demanded by the captors.
Méndez revealed that, thanks to the solidarity and cooperation of family, friends, acquaintances, and anonymous individuals, the money demanded by the kidnappers was gathered to secure the release of the Cuban doctor.
Daniela Pons, a former classmate of Pupo, informed CubaNet that the doctor sent an audio message to his family from a woman's cellphone to let them know that he was safe, that all his belongings had been taken away, and that he had no other means of communication.
The Cuban migration crisis has led to an increase in cases of Cubans being kidnapped in Mexico. Criminal groups are exploiting this route to extort money from the families of immigrants in the United States.
Unfortunately, this Thursday the abduction of another young Cuban in Mexico came to light. Jorge Raúl Avalle Recio is a Cuban migrant in Mexico. His family claims he has been kidnapped since October. In a desperate act, his wife sent $3,200 as a ransom, but he was not released.
The family on the island is desperate because they have gone 11 days without hearing from or seeing him, amidst the threatening calls they receive.
The kidnappers, after receiving the initial amount, increased their demand to 12,000, but the Cuban family cannot afford such a sum. Seeing that they would not receive the money, the criminals lowered the ransom to 6,000. However, the victim's family does not have that amount of dollars either.
Mario J. Pentón emphasized the importance of not yielding to the kidnappers' demands by sending money, as extortion often increases after the first payment is made.
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