35th Anniversary of the Mariel Boatlift: A Photo Essay

El 1 de abril de 1980 un ómnibus repleto de cubanos reventó el cerco de la embajada peruana en La Habana buscando asilo para salir de la Isla. La embajada se negó a alejarles de la sede diplomática y el 4 de abril el Gobierno de Fidel Castro decidió retirar la protección militar del local

1/11 The Cuban government announced that those people could leave the country if they wanted, if they got a visa from a country to take them. A few hours later, thousands of Cubans invaded the Peruvian embassy. / 14ymedio

2/11 It is estimated that 10,800 Cubans managed to enter the embassy site in just three days, and Peru offered refuge to 850 of them. Banner: “We don’t want water or food, we want to leave.” / 14ymedio

3/11 Overcrowding caused diarrhea, dehydration and gastroenteritis among the refugees / 14ymedio

One of the protagonists of those events, wrote in 2004 in the Puerto Rican weekly “El Veraz”: “Making that decision wasn’t easy if we consider that Fidel Castro’s regime was experiencing its best economic and political time, and had the unconditional support of the Soviet Union. The repression of those times was very strong and even having long hair or listening to American music or gathering as a group on a corner could get you arrested.”

4/11 One of the protagonists of those events, wrote in 2004 in the Puerto Rican weekly “El Veraz”: “Making that decision wasn’t easy if we consider that Fidel Castro’s regime was experiencing its best economic and political time, and had the unconditional support of the Soviet Union. The repression of those times was very strong and even having long hair or listening to American music or gathering as a group on a corner could get you arrested.” / 14ymedio

In an editorial, the newspaper ‘Granma’ branded the refugees “criminals, lumpen, antisocial, bums and parasites” and said that none of them was a “political persecution nor in need of the sacrosanct right of asylum.”

5/11 In an editorial, the newspaper ‘Granma’ branded the refugees “criminals, lumpen, antisocial, bums and parasites” and said that none of them was a “political persecution nor in need of the sacrosanct right of asylum.” / 14ymedio

According to the editorial in the government newspaper, in the Peruvian embassy gardens there were many homosexuals, gamblers and drug addicts.

6/11 According to the editorial in the government newspaper, in the Peruvian embassy gardens there were many homosexuals, gamblers and drug addicts. / 14ymedio

Granma asserted that the Cuban people, “Unanimously think let the bums go, let the antisocials go, let the lumpen go, let the criminals go, let the scum go.” Poster: “Carter, take your ‘Carteristas'”

7/11 Granma asserted that the Cuban people, “Unanimously think let the bums go, let the antisocials go, let the lumpen go, let the criminals go, let the scum go.” Poster: “Carter, take your ‘Carteristas'” / 14ymedio

8/11 Supporters of Fidel Castro’s government marched with signs calling for the “scum” and “antisocials” to be thrown out of the Island. / 14ymedio

9/11 Demonstrations in Miami supported the Cuban refugees in the Peruvian embassy in Havana / 14ymedio

On April 8 the front page of the Spanish newspaper “El Pais” headlined the events in Havana: “Castro announces than anyone who wants to can leave Cuba.”

10/11 On April 8 the front page of the Spanish newspaper “El Pais” headlined the events in Havana: “Castro announces than anyone who wants to can leave Cuba.” / 14ymedio

11/11 In the following weeks, as a result of the events in the Peruvian Embassy, more than 125,000 Cubans left through the Port of Mariel, a figure much greater than the Camariocas exodus in 1965, when more then 30,000 Cubans left the island. / 14ymedio