Balseros (rafters)

Balseros (Rafters, from the Spanish "Balsa", Raft) is the name given to the persons who emigrate illegally in self constructed or precarious vessels from Cuba to neighbouring states including the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and, most commonly, the United States. The Cuban Rafters, almost always disagree with communism and the Cuban government of the Castro Family.

Cuban emigration to the US is seen as having had four waves. The first wave before the Cuban Missile Crisis ended travel. The second wave was 1965-1973. The 1980 Mariel Boatlift was the third wave.

Some scholars regard the August 1994 Cuban Rafters Crisis as the fourth wave of Cuban immigration.^[1] The 1994 Balseros Crisis was ended by the agreement of the Wet feet, dry feet policy between Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro.

See also

• Mariel Boatlift 1980
• Wet feet, dry feet policy 1994
• Balseros - the title of a 2002 documentary about those persons and their experiences in Cuba and in the United States.

References

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External links

• University of Miami's site: The Cuban Rafter Phenomenon: A Unique Sea Exodus.