A Cuban was intercepted on a vessel near the Florida Keys.

The Coast Guard repatriated a Cuban migrant after intercepting him at sea, in a fiscal year with more than 65,900 arrests of rafters.

Bote detenido en aguas de Florida, EE.UU. © USCGSoutheast en X
Boat detained in waters off Florida, USA.Photo © USCGSoutheast on X

The crew of the Cutter Pablo Valent of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) repatriated a Cuban migrant on Wednesday after intercepting an illegal migration attempt 12 miles south of Key Largo, Florida.

The migrant was detained by a vessel from the Customs and Border Protection Patrol (CBPAMO), adding to the growing cases of migrants who risk their lives on maritime journeys to reach the United States.

This event occurs in an alarming context of the Cuban migration crisis. So far in the fiscal year 2024, more than 65,911 Cubans have been intercepted by US authorities at sea or near the coasts.

Despite the efforts of U.S. authorities to discourage these dangerous journeys, many migrants continue to set out to sea, driven by desperation and a lack of opportunities in Cuba.

Recent figures from the CBP indicate that the total number of Cubans attempting to reach the United States by sea and land has already exceeded 208,000 people during this fiscal year, which began in October 2023 and will end in September 2024.

This figure includes not only those intercepted on maritime journeys but also those who arrived at the southern border of the country, thus consolidating the second year with the highest number of Cuban migrants since 2021.

This week, 43 Cubans were detained after landing in the Florida Keys, specifically at Sombrero Beach in Marathon. They tried to enter the country aboard a fishing vessel registered in Havana, but were quickly captured by the Border Patrol.

The Cuban migration crisis continues to raise concerns, both in the United States and on the island, and the authorities keep warning about the deadly risks involved in taking to the sea in search of a better future.

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