The year is 1980
Jan. 30, 1980: The sand dredge Cinco de Diciembre, is
hijacked from Varadero, Cuba. After a 32-hour voyage that ends in Miami Beach,
66 Cubans are granted asylum. Then on Feb. 16, 1980, Eight Cuban stowaways
hijack Liberian freighter Lissette from outside Habana Harbor and sail to Key
West. Followed by Feb. 26, 1980: Using two rusty revolvers, 26 Cubans
commandeer government-owned pleasure craft Lucero from Habana Harbor and sail
to the Florida Keys. And last on Mar. 8th 1980: Reacting to recent hijacking, Cuban
President Fidel Castro hints at the possibility of mass emigration in a speech.
Then came the day that everything changed for Hector L.
Capote, a young Communist who believed in the so-called “New Man” and his young
family.
Apr.
1 1980: Six Cubans that were seeking asylum hijacked a bus and crashed it through
the gates of the Peruvian Embassy in Habana. A Cuban guard, struck by a
ricocheting bullet, dies in the chaos. The ones in the bus have no guns as guns
by citizens is outlawed in Cuba.
Apr. 4: Peru extends asylum to the gate-crashers. Cuban
Government removes embassy guards; Havana radio announces embassy is open. Then all hell breaks loss in Habana on Apr. 6 1980: 10,856 Cubans crowd onto the embassy grounds; Peru grants them asylum. These people would wind up eating tree leaves and bark because the government gave them virtually no food while they were at the embassy. These brave people are the reason we are here in the U.S.A. never forget that they opened the Port for our family to rescue us from oppression.
photo credit: Edgardo W. Olivera <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/124137421@N04/46316088044">Tras las rejas</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a
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