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Cayman Islands authorities are fine-tuning details in light of a scenario that stirs old fears in the Caribbean: the potential arrival of a significant number of Cuban migrants pushed to sea by the worsening crisis on the island.
Among the measures currently under discussion is the urgent search for Spanish interpreters to process potential asylum requests, a logistical detail that highlights the extent of the risk faced by Caymanian officials.
According to the local outlet Cayman Compass, Lieutenant Governor Franz Manderson acknowledged that, in the face of a massive influx, the current system would be insufficient. “If more than a thousand people arrive, it’s not feasible to work with just two interpreters,” he warned during an interview on the program Forefront on Compass TV.
Manderson speaks from experience, as he was a direct witness to the exodus of 1994, when nearly 1,200 Cubans reached the islands in just a few weeks, forcing authorities to quickly set up camps to accommodate them.
For weeks, the Cayman Islands watches closely the accelerated deterioration of the situation in Cuba following the loss of oil and financial support from Venezuela, now under the control of the United States. In a country marked by blackouts, shortages, and an economy on the brink of collapse, any new blow could trigger another desperate wave of migration.
Manderson explained that the government has begun a survey within the public administration to identify employees who speak Spanish and may be temporarily reassigned as translators if the situation requires it.
Governor Jane Owen also issued a similar call to the private sector, urging Spanish speakers to consider how they might assist in the event of a Cuban refugee crisis, according to Cayman Compass.
The so-called "Mass Migration Committee," composed of security forces, customs, the coast guard, and health services, has met again to assess the territory's actual capacity to handle a sudden increase in arrivals. The exchange of intelligence with neighboring countries, such as Jamaica, is part of the strategy to avoid repeating past mistakes.
In 2022, hundreds of Cubans were stranded in the archipelago seeking asylum, before legal changes accelerated deportations to Havana.
Today, while official offices discuss interpreters, plans, and protocols, thousands of Cuban families across the sea once again feel that their horizon is closing in. When life becomes unsustainable, recent history has shown this time and again, the sea reemerges as the most dangerous escape route. The Cayman Islands are aware of this and, this time, they do not want to say they were unprepared again.
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