After social media posts hinted that Floridians planned to set sail to deliver supplies, the U.S. Coast Guard warned people against unauthorized travel from Florida to Cuba In the rare anti-government protests in this island country.
Major General Eric Jones, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard District 7, said that the agency and local, state, and partners are monitoring signs of illegal immigration in the waters of the Florida Strait.
“As the lead agency to protect our southeast maritime border, the US Seventh Coast Guard realized that tens of thousands of Cubans took to the streets yesterday to peacefully protest the dramatic increase in suffering and repression on the island,” Jones said.published in Twitter.
Jones said the agency supports “the Cuban people in exercising their basic rights to freedom of speech and assembly, but also reminds anyone considering immigration and navigation not to go to sea.”
He added: “Due to these dangerous voyages, nearly 20 people have unfortunately lost their lives in recent weeks. This crossing is dangerous and ruthless.”
He also warned anyone in Florida who might consider taking a boat to Cuba not to do so.
“The Coast Guard and our local, state, and federal partners are monitoring any activity that may indicate insecurity in the Florida Strait and an increase in illegal maritime immigration; including unauthorized ships departing from Florida to Cuba,” he said.
Jones said the Coast Guard and its federal partners are maintaining “continuous and vigilant” air and surface patrols in the Caribbean, including the Florida Strait. “Please don’t go to sea,” he added.
Joe Riddle/Getty Images
Jones’ warning came as posts circulated on social media about the crew preparing to sail to Cuba to deliver supplies.
A post from InstagramWLRN reporter Danny Rivero shared on Twitter that a ship will sail from Miami to “international waters” on Monday night.
“Say that any gun needs to be legal, even if the plan is’peaceful’,” Rivero wrote next to the screenshot of the post.
Rivero also shared a photo. According to reports, a woman was loading supplies on board and was going to Cuba.
This is an IG post, telling the Cuban boat people that they will depart from NE 79 st pier at 6:30 pm for Cuba.
Say that any gun needs to be legal, even if the plan is “peaceful.” pic.twitter.com/wSngKTZkwr
-Danny Rivero (@TooMuchMe) July 12, 2021
“We just bring supplies,” Dennis Suayero told CBS Miami. “They are trying to build a group to receive water, food, medicine, and all the measures we can take to occupy Cuba. We are just waiting for approval so that we can enter and give it to them.”
The Coast Guard’s warning came after demonstrations that swept across Cuba’s cities over the weekend, calling for an end to the communist dictatorship.
Protesters expressed anger at food shortages, high prices, power outages and the lack of vaccines to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, as the country is fighting the worst economic crisis in decades.
President Joe Biden talked about the riots on Monday, Told reporters: “The Cuban people demand their freedom from an authoritarian regime. Frankly speaking, I don’t think we have seen such protests in a long time.”
