A video posted this Sunday on Instagram by Humberto Miranda has become one of those moments that encapsulates decades of Cuban history in under a minute: aboard a boat in Miami, his daughter asks him why Cubans love to sail so much, and the father's response turns into a lesson on freedom that has moved thousands.
In the 54-second video recorded in Miami, Miranda explains to her daughter something that may seem obvious to many exiled Cubans, but is unknown to the new generations born or raised in the United States: in Cuba, getting on a boat was a forbidden and dangerous act.
"We in Cuba were forbidden to get on a boat. We couldn't get on a boat. Because anyone who got on a boat was leaving for the yuma. They were going north," explains Miranda in front of the camera, with the waters of Miami in the background.
The prohibition you describe is not an exaggeration. Since the Revolution of 1959, the Cuban regime has strictly controlled access to private vessels as a mechanism to prevent mass escapes by sea.
Decree-Law 194 establishes that vessels deemed "illegal" cannot venture more than half a nautical mile from the shores and are confiscated. Illegal departures by sea carry penalties of up to three years in prison, or more for recidivism, according to the Cuban Penal Code.
That context of repression is what turns boating into something much deeper than just a pastime. As Miranda tells her daughter: "That is freedom. It may seem like economic freedom, it may sound silly what I'm telling you, but never let anyone, absolutely anyone, say that you cannot buy a boat."
The Florida Straits—about 150 kilometers between Havana and Key West—became the most dangerous escape route in the hemisphere for decades. It is estimated that more than 20,000 Cubans have died attempting to cross those waters.
Miranda concludes her explanation with a statement directed both at her daughter and all Cubans in the diaspora: "That’s why we are in a country of freedom, that’s why I brought you to a country of freedom. It’s important to teach the kids where we are living."
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