No Increase in Cubans Trying to Enter US by Sea Since Castro's Death

MIAMI — The total number of Cubans attempting to enter the United States illegally from Cuba by sea has not shown any significant change since the death of former president Fidel Castro last month, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

"The numbers for December compared to last year are looking similar," Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Woodall confirmed to Patch on Thursday.

The Coast Guard reported that at least 541 Cubans attempted to enter the U.S. by sea since the start of December compared to 619 in December of last year with little more than a week left in the month.

Castro died on Nov. 25 at 90, sparking celebrations throughout the Cuban-American community in Miami and other parts of Florida, where there is a large population of Cuban immigrants.

Since his death there has been some question as to whether the number of people trying to flee the Communist nation would increase or stay the same.

"We have seen a steady increase over the last couple of years. That is something we continue to see," added Woodall, who is a spokesman for the Coast Guard in Miami.

But while the Coast Guard returned 136 Cubans to the island nation between Saturday and Monday, the overall numbers this month are thus far consistent with the 2015 totals for the same time period.

Those figures represent the total number of at-sea Coast Guard interdictions, landings and disruptions in the Florida Straits, the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Fifty-three Cubans were returned to Bahia de Cabañas aboard Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. on Saturday and another 83 were returned on Monday, officials said.

"These repatriations are a result of eight separate at-sea migrant interdictions in the South Florida Straits," officials said. "In each instance, the Coast Guard helped secure the U.S. border and prevented these sea voyages from ending in tragedy."

Capt. Mark Gordon, chief of enforcement for the Coast Guard 7th District said the service typically sees a surge in migrants during winter months except in the case of bad weather.

"We continue to strongly discourage attempts to illegally enter the country by taking to the sea," he explained. "These trips are extremely dangerous. Coast Guard missions and operations in the Southeast remain unchanged and the Coast Guard and our partner agencies remain ready to stop those who take the illegal, ill-advised and unsafe journey across the Florida Straits."

Florida Gov. Rick Scott reached out to the late dictator’s brother, Raul Castro, on Tuesday to ask that he consider bringing “absolute freedom and democracy” to the Communist nation.

Coast Guard crews provide food, water, shelter and basic medical attention to Cubans picked up at sea.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard.