Figure 1.--One way out of Cuba during the early years of the Revolution was tio get a boat. Quite a number of fishermen left with their boats. After Castro confiscated privately owned fishing boats, Cubans had to turn to hijacking boats. The press caption here read, "Cozuml, Mexico: Rafael Rodriguez Alfonso, fisherman and former Castro gun runner, talks to newsmenin Cozumel 9/9 after he led a group of 91 Cuban refugees from their homelandaboard a hijacked Castro Navy lighthouse tender. Alfonso holds his his 10 month-old son, Nelson, after whom the hijacked boat was named by the refugees." The photograph appeared in American newspapers September 2, 1963."

Communism in Russia was imposed on the population by a small group of ideaologues andexcept for the ruling class with money, there were few opportunities to flee. The same was true of Eastern Europe. Once the Iron Curtain was established, there were very limited opportunities to flee. Cuba was very different. Only 90 miles across the Florida Straits lay Key West and freedom. And despite the still enormous difficulties. hundreds of thousands of Cubans chose to leave their country, often risking their lives. This was substantial movement fora small country. Perhaps 15 percent of the population left Cuba, including much of the educated middle class. There are today in the United States about 1 million Americans of Cuban ancestry. They are among the most successful immigrant groups and the lives they created for themselves in America is in sharp contrat to the poverty that Castro has created in Cuba which before him ws one of the most prosperous Latin American countries. The refugees have arrived in several waves as Castro unfolded his Revolution and American refugee policy fluctuated.

First Wave: Batista Loyalists (1959)

The first wave was the wealthy and families associated with the Batista regime (1959). This was in part prompted by Castro's firing squads which executed those associated with Batista. Many of these refugees believed that Castro's government would be short lived and they would soon return to Cuba. They left valuables such as homes, autos, and other valuables with friends, and relatives. Castro quickly acted to confiscate the property of those who left.

Operation Peter Pan (1960-62)

The next step in the exodus was Operation Peter Pan. A special program was worked out for children. Disdraught parents sent some 14,000 children and teenagers were to America by special flights -- Operation Peter Pan (November 1960-October 1962). These were mostly middle-class children from strong Catholic families. The parents this way could hold on to their property, but their children would be protected from Communist propaganda. The children and youths involved were from 6-17 years of age. Opperation Peter Pan ended with the Cuban Missle Crisis. The operation was conducted under the auspices of the Catholic Church and once in America foster homes throughout the United States was found to care for them. At the time boys were being conscripted into the military and girls into the rural Alphabetization Campaign.

Second Wave: The Middle Class (1961-63)

The second major wave began as Castro aggressively launched his socialist revolution by seizing schools, hospitals, land holdings, and industrial plants (1961). With these actions, much of the middle-clas wanted to leave Cuba. At the same time Castro launched a political crackdown. These were not Batista men, but many who had fought with him--only they had democratic ideals. Political opponents were arrested, some were executed. This was when the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Castro had launched his revolution as a non-Communist freedom fighter to overthrow the Batista dictatorship. It is at this point he intended to simply replace Batisa as Cuba's dictator only with a Marxist-Leninist. This was helped to obtain Soviet assistance and like mant Third World leadrs, Castro who knew nothing about economics, assumed that Socialism was a superior ecomomic system.

Third Wave: Camarioca (1965)

A third smaller wave of refugees left from the Cuban port of Camarioca (1965). The Cuban Miami exile community organized a boat lift, They used small pleasure and fishing boats to bring friends and relatives to Key West. Relativity limited information is available on the numbers involved, but it is believed to be small.

Fourth Wave: Freedom Flghts (1965-73)

A more important and regularized system was conducted over the next decade--the Freedom Flghts / Vuelos de la Libertad (1965-73). These were conducted during the Johnson and Nixon administrations. The fligts were conducted twice daily from Varadero Beach to Miami. This was the only way out of Cuba as the Cuban Government seized control of all sea-going craft like fishing boats which could ve used in sureptious operations. The Freedom Flights were the longest-lasting refugee airlift in history. And now those who wanted to leave were no longer just the middle-class, but many working class Cubans who now realized that Castro and socialism meant permanent poverty. Some 265,300 Cubans flew to to freedom with the aid of religious (mostly Catholic) and volunteer agencies. Flights were limited to families meaning immediate relatives. Children could be taken, but not elderly parents. As large numbers of people wanted to leave, a waiting period of 1-2 years developed. This was a very difficult time as once Cubans applied to leave they lost their jobs and a range of Government and private actions were taken against them and their children. Castro labeled them as 'gusanos' (worms).

Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act (1966)

During the Freedom Flights, Congress passed the the Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act--CRAA (1966). The Act became the basis of American policy toward Cuban refugees. It applied to any native or citizen of Cuba who has been inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States after January 1, 1959 and has been physically present for at least one year; and is admissible to the United States as a permanent resident.

Fifth Wave: Mariel Boat Lift (1980)

The last major wave of Cuban refugees came as part of the Mariel boat lift during the Carter Administration (April-October 1980). This began with an incident at the Peruvian Embassy. Eventually an estimated 125,000 came to America.

Cuban-Americans

Created: 2:05 AM 9/12/2012
Last updated: 2:06 AM 9/12/2012