At least 16 U.S. activists linked to the Convoy Nuestra América were detained and questioned this Wednesday at Miami International Airport after returning from Cuba.
According to reports shared by trip participants and people close to the group, several of them remained detained for at least three hours, their mobile phones and laptops were confiscated, and the authorities questioned them in detail about their work on the island, including the delivery of humanitarian aid.
One of the collected testimonies describes that the activists were subjected to "special control" and interrogations for traveling to Cuba.
Despite the alarmist tone of leftist travelers returning from a country sanctioned by the United States after participating in a political trip and coordinating on-the-ground aid, they were subjected to a routine secondary inspection by Customs and Border Protection, which is typical in such cases.
The version from one of the detained activists adds more details about the procedure.
According to their account, they were detained for more than three hours, and many had their phones and laptops taken and searched.
He also stated that some members of the group were released earlier, while others remained under interrogation.
In that context, he specifically mentioned that a colleague identified as Tiago had been held in Panama for more than three hours and that he had also been part of the delegation.
The same activist stated that the agents repeatedly asked her what they were doing in Cuba, as well as questions related to Venezuela.
According to her testimony, she responded that they had gone to help "humanity" and noted that she even showed items that, she said, reflected exactly that humanitarian work.
In his opinion, the treatment received aimed to "instill fear" in order to deter future acts of solidarity with both Cuba and Palestine.
Despite this, she asserted that the incident will not deter her. In her statements, she maintained that, far from frightening her, what happened motivates her to stand "stronger" alongside the Cuban people.
He also framed the treatment received within a broader policy of sanctions, blockades, and pressure from Washington against Cuba and other nations, consistent with the official narrative of the Cuban regime.
According to his account, he will continue talking about what he saw on the island and will keep advocating for "the end of the U.S. embargo."
The left tour
The detention of these activists comes after the convoy's participation in an international initiative that brought together hundreds of leftist activists and political figures from dozens of countries in Havana, including Pablo Iglesias, Jeremy Corbyn, and other participants who expressed support for the Cuban government, in addition to delivering food, medicine, and solar equipment as part of an action portrayed as supportive, in the context of an economic and energy crisis.
During their stay, the group members participated in official activities and tours of the capital, including meetings with state institutions and government figures such as Mariela Castro, amidst an agenda that critics interpreted as a political support exercise, similar to what occurred during the exchanges held with official entities.
The passage of the convoy through Havana was also marked by events at the Palace of Conventions, where Miguel Díaz-Canel led a meeting with the participants and expressed his gratitude for their presence and support amid the situation the country is facing. The event emphasized the idea of international backing for the Cuban government, coinciding with the visit of the group.
Various images of the convoy circulated on social media. They showed the group traveling through Havana in electric vehicles while singing “Guantanamera,” amid a Cuba struggling with blackouts, fuel shortages, and heavily deteriorated public transportation.
This contrast fueled public questioning both inside and outside the island. Comedian Ulises Toirac joked by suggesting that the members of the convoy live for a month on 4,000 CUP per person, with a ration book and a line from ETECSA, to experience firsthand the real living conditions in Cuba.
Journalist Yoani Sánchez was even more direct in stating: “We are not a theme park. Go do ideological tourism elsewhere. We are suffering here,” in a critique that the document presents as a reflection of the discontent among a segment of the citizenry.
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