The anguish continues: Cuban mothers plead for news of their children lost at sea

In the context of the migration crisis that has driven more than half a million Cubans to take dangerous routes towards the United States, despair and sorrow have shaped the lives of several mothers who, nearly two years after their children's disappearance, continue to seek answers about their whereabouts.

The young people in these cases set out in search of a better life in the United States, traveling on makeshift rafts, and never reached their destination.

Three of these mothers, from Cárdenas in the province of Matanzas, shared their heart-wrenching testimonies with the French News Agency (AFP), highlighting the government's inadequate response to assist them in a country where illegal immigration is criminalized.

The women shared their suffering regarding what are known as "invisible shipwrecks," incidents in which Cuban migrants attempt to reach the U.S. in precarious vessels and vanish without a trace.

A mother identified as Amparo Rivera shared that her son, Yoel Romero, 43, set off on a raft to the United States on January 3, 2023. More than a year after his disappearance, Amparo continues to wait for answers. "We need to know whatever the answer may be, to know about them in whatever condition," she said, her voice choked with emotion.

The raft that Yoel Romero was traveling on departed from Playa Larga in Matanzas, along with 30 other people. Among the migrants was an eight-year-old girl, a family of six from Camagüey, and a couple from Cienfuegos who chose to leave their children behind to avoid exposing them to the dangers of the journey. All of them disappeared at sea.

Idalmis Tirado, another mother who lost her son, Dariel Alejandro Chacón, 27, also shared that four days after the young man went missing, his raft was found on a beach in Cayo Largo, Florida. Dariel's bag was also discovered, with its contents untouched, including some cookies that his mother had given him.

He says that a few weeks later, a second backpack was found more than a kilometer away from the first discovery. Since then, Idalmis's life has been a constant search, but the answers remain incomplete.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 1,100 Cuban migrants have drowned in the Caribbean since 2020 due to these shipwrecks. The worst year was 2022, with over 130 deaths. The IOM also describes these incidents as "invisible shipwrecks," where migrants vanish without a trace, and authorities or the media are unable to obtain concrete information about what happened.

In the context of the Cuban migration crisis that intensified from 2021, there were critical moments such as in 2023, when at least 368 migrants from the island lost their lives while attempting to reach the United States, according to the IOM.

The families, like those of the missing individuals from January 2023, have received scattered rumors that some of the rafters may have been rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard or spotted at the Guantanamo Naval Base, but they have been unable to confirm anything. The lack of resources for investigation and the limited coverage of these tragedies have left many families without news and in despair.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Cuban Migration Crisis and Disappearances at Sea