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Hundreds of Cubans remain detained in the center known as Alligator Alcatraz in Florida, with little clear information about their immigration status and under constant threats of deportation, according to testimonies obtained by CiberCuba during interviews conducted through phone calls with family members.
According to reports, there would be an average of 700 to 800 Cubans detained at the site, many of them relocated from various states across the country.
The detainees claim that they have not received official explanations regarding their legal status or the steps to be taken in their cases.
They tell us that we will not set foot on American soil, one of them recounted in a call with our media.
He also reported threats of relocation to the naval base in Guantánamo, to Mexico, or even to African countries.
Abel Ducanses Ceballos, who has been detained since December 5, stated that "the conditions are inhumane: there is no right to life. We are locked in cages, nobody cares about us. The drinking water, which is the most essential, looks like pond water; it’s disgusting," he emphasized.
He said they live in cages that house 32 people.
"We sleep in bunk beds. We bathe and brush our teeth only three times a week. The place smells terrible and there are outbreaks of scabies. We look like animals: with long hair, beards, and no minimal hygiene conditions. The only thing that's happened is that we are responding like animals to an animal treatment," he noted.
For his part, Endy Castillo has been detained for 28 days, although he has lived in the United States for 20 years. He stated that "almost no one has committed crimes in a long time, and yet this is like a concentration camp. There are no humane conditions for living. This is a punishment cell," he emphasized.
He commented that they receive "three meals a day: at 5 in the morning, at noon, and at 5 in the afternoon. The food arrives cold and it's the same sandwich all week. The water is not drinkable," he expressed.
"The doctor only sees you after 72 hours. When you arrive, everyone is sick and there are no medications. We cannot claim anything. The place is closed within a two-mile radius. This is completely inhumane," they denounce.
"We are in cages, like in a concentration camp. If there’s a fire, we all die because there are no fire extinguishers. There are three toilets per cage, and if someone needs to relieve themselves, the others have to turn around. The temperature is fixed at 35 degrees; it kills us with cold, and we have to sleep with the blanket on," he pointed out.
Another inmate claims that he has been incarcerated in Alligator Alcatraz for 98 days, and although he was supposed to be released after 90 days, nothing has happened.
"I was moved through Louisiana and Mississippi, and then they brought me back here. No one has come to see me or explained what will happen to me. They want to send me to Mexico, but I don't want to go to Mexico," he explains.
"The worst part is the overcrowding, one on top of the other, with poor hygiene and terrible food. My family in Cuba hasn't been able to speak with me; until now, I am entirely cut off." He comments hurriedly as his 15-minute call time is running out.
Among those arrested, there are particularly sensitive cases. Some do not even speak Spanish, as they arrived in the United States as children during the Mariel exodus.
One of them claimed to have lived 40 years in the U.S., while another noted that he has been 32 years in the country, having arrived at just 12 years of age.
The testimonies agree that every day new detainees arrive from different states, which has increased the uncertainty within the center. They also reported difficulties accessing legal assistance, stating that not all lawyers are able to enter to represent them.
CiberCuba will continue to monitor the case and will broadcast live interviews, during which the wives of the detainees will communicate with them by phone to highlight their complaints and the reality they face inside the detention center.
Families are demanding clear information, access to lawyers, and respect for due process, amid growing concern for the fate of hundreds of Cubans who claim to be trapped in a migratory limbo.
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