In 1980 there was a sharp downturn in the Cuban economy. This led to significant internal tensions in the country, and an attempt by up to 10,000 Cubans to gain asylum in the Peruvian embassy. The government of Cuba soon after announced that anyone who wanted to leave could do so. A massive exodus by boat began shortly afterward.
The exodus was organized by Cuban-Americans with the consent of Cuban president Fidel Castro. It had negative political implications for the (also otherwise embattled) United States president Jimmy Carter when it came out that a number of these exiles had been released from Cuban mental health facilities and jails, immortalized in the early scenes of the 1983 movie Scarface. It is estimated that between April and October of 1980 as many as 125,000 people participated in the Mariel Boatlift, which was named for Mariel Harbor, their departure point in Cuba. Most ended up in Miami, which rather heroically bore the responsibility of absorbing the immigrants. The boatlift was ended by the end of 1980 agreement between Cuba and the United States.
Related Resources:
- Cuban Information Archive Photos
- Coast Guard Archives
- Wikipedia
- History Channel
- New Times: Miami Filmaker Tony Mendez’ Short on Mariel Boatlift to Screen at Cannes
- Palm Beach Post: Mariel boatlift tested Miami’s strength, then made it stronger
- GlobalSecurity.org
- OnThisDay