August 1994 protest in Cuba
The unrest in Havana in 1994, also known as the Maleconazo or Habanazo, were the first major popular uprising in Cuba since the triumph of the revolution in 1959. On August 5, 1994 gathered in the capital, Havana, thousands of people around the middle against the difficult living conditions the so-called periodo especial to protest after the collapse of the Soviet bloc, which reached its nadir about this summer 1994.
In those days of the summer of 1994, there have been numerous attempts in Havana to hijack ships, in order to escape from Cuba and move to Florida. On July 13th of that year, the tug " 13 de Marzo " was sunk with about 70 people aboard the Cuban Navy, as this had been kidnapped and headed to the United States. In this case, 40 people were killed. An August 3, hijacked ferry was applied by the U.S. Coast Guard. The passengers were offered asylum in the United States. 120 accepted, the rest was taken by ferry back to Cuba.
On that August 5 was another ferry that shuttled over the bay of Havana, kidnapped. It rapidly spreading rumors, even by the sending of Miami Cuban exile propaganda station Radio Martí stirred vigorously over more kidnappings. Thousands of Cubans, partly from curiosity, partly to get to such a transfer to Florida were lured and first filled the docks, and later throughout the Malecón.
This spontaneous, mass concentration of dissatisfied people led to a new sense of collective strength. For the first time were chants such as " ¡ Cuba sí, Castro no! " ( Yes Cuba, Castro no! ) Or " ¡ Libertad, libertad! " (Freedom, freedom ) to hear. In addition, hotel facilities and currency shops were looted. Even police officers were attacked, injured and even killed in a case.
While Defense Minister Raul Castro urged the use of the military, appeared Fidel, who is still highly regarded in the Cuban population enjoyed due to his charisma, personal, to calm the situation. He urged the protesters to go home and promised that everyone who wanted to leave the country, could do this. There were chants of " ¡ Viva Fidel " or " ¡ Esta es de calle Fidel! " - " This street belongs to Fidel! " Heard. Even the police did not appear openly in appearance to quell the uprising. The government sent paramilitary instead work brigades, called Conti Gentes, which dealt pretty brutal with the insurgents.
Because of the lack of confrontation with the authorities and the personal appearance of the revolutionary leader, the situation deeskalierte on the same day. The Cuban government condemned the riots as the work of foreign provocateurs and antisocial groups.
Balsero crisis
As a result of this event, the Border Patrol has been waived by Cuba. Castro attacked repeatedly valve of mass emigration to calm the situation. Again, since the Mariel boat crisis in 1980 fled thousands of Cubans with self-built boats (Spanish: balsa - raft ) across the sea to Florida, which became known as the Balsero crisis ( rafter crisis) in the story. In the month until the next border closure by Cuba, according to press reports succeeded more than 33,000 Cubans to flee. In view of the United States hardly to be overcome huge intake of Cuban refugees in Florida and the numerous deaths in failed escape attempts announced U.S. President Bill Clinton on August 19, 1994, the suspension of the current practice, after all Cuban refugees in the United States automatically granted asylum. The boat people intercepted at sea have since been first brought by the U.S. Coast Guard in specially decorated reception center on the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, where they were allowed to enter only after individual assessment and months of waiting time in the United States. Subsequently, the governments of the two states entered into negotiations which culminated in an agreement on a controlled emigration on 9 September 1994. The U.S. pledged to grant at least 20,000 visas for legal immigration annually. In May 1995, was the so-called wet foot dry foot policy ( Nasser -foot dry -foot policy ) was established. This means that a Cuban refugee who reaches U.S. soil, is allowed to stay in the U.S., on the other hand someone is applied to the open sea, has to return to Cuba.