August 2, 1980
So Tia Vivian came that day with a veil so no one would recognize her she brought a cake it was a day before my birthday, and she said Tio called he is in the Port of Mariel, and you are leaving when the Military came for us this time they went thru the back of our apartment complex so this time they were not to be seen. The soldiers drank maltas and ate cake. They came for us in two cars in one Papi and me with Jose the other Mami with Jorge(Yoyi) and Ernie almost always Jose was with Papi and Mami with Ernie and Yoyi It was getting dark, so no one found out we were leaving. On August 2 Saturday we left around 7 pm we came to the Abreu Fontan it was closed, and they told us to wait they are getting our passports. We were not there for long, but it became the moment of truth. The chauffeur who
took us the first time we tried to leave Cuba was on guard this time, and he said that one(Papi) had problems he cannot leave he said to Papi also during the papers process Tio had not said that Papi was working at University City José Antonio Echeverría (CUJAE) at a hydraulic plant. When they went to look at what happened the last time nothing came up about Yoyi and his missing passport/ documents, but they had information where Papi worked, and Tio Jorge did not mention that in his in request to avoid any issues.
The Military police said because he worked as a technician and because he knew things about the University and also the man told him "You have betrayed all the patriots that have died for our homeland" and Papi said “ Is not all of you that have betrayed all the heroes of our homeland? The man but he head down and did not answer. Then came the famous Tony Laguardia he asked your Hector Capote and Papi said yes colonel com on your are leaving. But When Tony went to the back they talked to him and he never came out the same door he went out thru the back and Papi did not see him again. Papi said if there is one terrible moment in my life that I will never forget was that moment. Papi was taken from us at Abreu Fontan Mami was crying when Papi said he could not leave. He also said my Brother will get me out take the kids; this is our chance for our kids. Then I finally learned the secret about what we where doing Papi told me,” Hectico, you are now the man of the house take care of your Brothers and Mom.” And Tony Laguardia was executed by the dictatorship in a famous trial with General Ochoa in 1986 they took the blame for the corrupted communist government drug dealing but it was really the Castro brothers behind it.
It was the most painful moment in my life that never seems to hurt any less, and this happened a day before my 7th birthday. For me, the story for a long time was about a little boy who did not understand why he was separated from his Papi. But now I know different, and Papi also suffered similar pain I imagine when his Dad Ricardo left Cuba on Aug 24, 1967, when Papi was 19 that would be the last time he would see his father Ricardo died in Miami. Papi told Mami that she “had to leave it bests theirs no future in Cuba we have four boys they could be arrested and killed and don’t worry again my brother will come back for me.” Mami cried a lot, all along the drive going to the Mosquito Camp. They tried to split us up after learning that Papi could not leave Cuba, but Mami said no way I am going to be separated from my children. It took us 45 minutes to get to the Mosquito camp called that because of the enormous population of mosquitos and the conditions of the camp. We went to an infirmary. Mami was with us the four kids in the tent when the military guards asked her questions did she have family in the U.S.A.?
Why she is taking us out of Cuba? She did not want to answer. She just said that she has her husband’s family, and then they asked me questions. And they told me I wouldn’t be able to go to school like in Cuba my Mami told me to keep looking at her and do not answer. I would not have toys I would live bad and sad not like Cuba and Mami said: “do not be afraid you have your uncles in the U.S.A. they love you and will take care of us.” My Mami was such a brave woman, you would not expect it, but since her biological father abandoned her, it has only strengthened her idea of family and sacrifice for one's family. One of the twins Ernie had a cast around one leg not sure which one but he had an appointment to be operated like me the military again tried to raise doubts about us leaving.
The Military police said because he worked as a technician and because he knew things about the University and also the man told him "You have betrayed all the patriots that have died for our homeland" and Papi said “ Is not all of you that have betrayed all the heroes of our homeland? The man but he head down and did not answer. Then came the famous Tony Laguardia he asked your Hector Capote and Papi said yes colonel com on your are leaving. But When Tony went to the back they talked to him and he never came out the same door he went out thru the back and Papi did not see him again. Papi said if there is one terrible moment in my life that I will never forget was that moment. Papi was taken from us at Abreu Fontan Mami was crying when Papi said he could not leave. He also said my Brother will get me out take the kids; this is our chance for our kids. Then I finally learned the secret about what we where doing Papi told me,” Hectico, you are now the man of the house take care of your Brothers and Mom.” And Tony Laguardia was executed by the dictatorship in a famous trial with General Ochoa in 1986 they took the blame for the corrupted communist government drug dealing but it was really the Castro brothers behind it.
It was the most painful moment in my life that never seems to hurt any less, and this happened a day before my 7th birthday. For me, the story for a long time was about a little boy who did not understand why he was separated from his Papi. But now I know different, and Papi also suffered similar pain I imagine when his Dad Ricardo left Cuba on Aug 24, 1967, when Papi was 19 that would be the last time he would see his father Ricardo died in Miami. Papi told Mami that she “had to leave it bests theirs no future in Cuba we have four boys they could be arrested and killed and don’t worry again my brother will come back for me.” Mami cried a lot, all along the drive going to the Mosquito Camp. They tried to split us up after learning that Papi could not leave Cuba, but Mami said no way I am going to be separated from my children. It took us 45 minutes to get to the Mosquito camp called that because of the enormous population of mosquitos and the conditions of the camp. We went to an infirmary. Mami was with us the four kids in the tent when the military guards asked her questions did she have family in the U.S.A.?
Why she is taking us out of Cuba? She did not want to answer. She just said that she has her husband’s family, and then they asked me questions. And they told me I wouldn’t be able to go to school like in Cuba my Mami told me to keep looking at her and do not answer. I would not have toys I would live bad and sad not like Cuba and Mami said: “do not be afraid you have your uncles in the U.S.A. they love you and will take care of us.” My Mami was such a brave woman, you would not expect it, but since her biological father abandoned her, it has only strengthened her idea of family and sacrifice for one's family. One of the twins Ernie had a cast around one leg not sure which one but he had an appointment to be operated like me the military again tried to raise doubts about us leaving.
A small van came to pick us up. We passed by the camps, picked up people, and heard lots of screams, and saw dogs attacking people. Some people came with dogs bites untreated from the camps. So they took us to the port where the boat was. Tio Jorge saw Mami, she recognized him from the pictures they hugged he told her don’t worry I will get him out. Tio already knew that Papi was not coming since he had paid off a lot of folks so we would have a more comfortable passage than most that went thru Mariel and we did so we had it a bit easier in a sense that lots of others spent days or weeks in Abreu Fontan and Mosquito camp with barely any food and horrible conditions. Tio hugged all of us he took to me to see the boat, and he told me I looked like Papi for us the kids it was the first time we ever saw him he promised to me when I asked him: “Don’t worry I will get your Papi back quick.” He gave us food to eat.
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| Abreu Fontan last place we saw Papi on 08/02/1980 |
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| University City José Antonio Echeverría (CUJAE) where Papi worked |
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