Cuban Truck Rafters Seek Political Asylum in U.S.

Reuters ^ | Wed Jul 30, 2:17 PM ET | Yahoo

[FreeManWhoCan]

HAVANA (Reuters) - Twelve Cubans who tried to sail to Florida in a 1951 Chevy truck ingeniously converted into an amphibious craft are making a second attempt to get to the United States, this time as political refugees.

The group, repatriated to communist-run Cuba by the U.S. Coast Guard (news - web sites) 10 days ago, applied on Wednesday for political asylum at the U.S. Interest Section in Havana.

"This is our last hope. We want to go. We love our country very much, but there is no future here," said Michael Lau Valdez, 25.

The nine men, two women and a three-year-old boy got halfway across the Florida Straits in the bright-green truck floating on twelve oil drums with a propeller attached to the transmission before they were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard. They were making 8 mph in the Chevy.

"We weren't looking for publicity or money. We just wanted to get to the United States. We hope we can do that legally now," said Eduardo Perez, owner of the truck, which was sunk by the Coast Guard.

The group, all under 35 years, said they had not been harassed by Cuban authorities since their return to a Havana suburb, but they did not expect to find work again in Cuba.

They drove to the U.S. diplomatic mission in another 1951 Chevy truck to turn in their application forms.

U.S. diplomats hand repatriated migrants a form to apply as refugees if they feel they are being politically persecuted.

"These 12 felt that they qualified. Whether we as the U.S. government feel that they qualify is a different matter," said a spokeswoman for the U.S. Interest Section.

President Fidel Castro (news - web sites)'s government has not been known to allow repatriated rafters permits to leave Cuba legally.

The would-be-emigres said they will take to the sea again if they do not get U.S. visas, but next time in a faster craft.

[FreeManWhoCan]

God help them.

[BenR2]

God help Bush to grow a spine to help them.

[Ex-Dem]

These ingrates want to leave Castro's commie worker's paradise? Unthinkable! *sarcasm

[holyscroller]

This makes me sick. We let Illegal Mexican Leeches come in and milk our welfare, schools and hospitals for every penny they want, but we deny Cubans who would make good hard-working citizens. Somebody should tell Bush and Rove that The Cubans WILL vote Republican, but no amount of bribery will convince the illegal Mexicans to pull the "R" lever(and yes, they will be trying to vote.)

[cavtrooper21]

WE need people like this in our country, and we turn them away.
The people are smart, creative, brave and willing to risk it all for a chance at freedom.
Something so many "citizens" take for granted.
President Bush, let them in!!!

[GovernmentShrinker]

General Motors and a major movie studio should band together to rescue this group. And to raise the sunken Chevy truck. It would be highly profitable for all concerned.

[Petruchio]

The would-be-emigres said they will take to the sea again if they do not get U.S. visas, but next time in a faster craft.

They need at least a '65 Ford F150 . . .

[FITZ]

What gets me is that it's possible that we send these guys back to a sure death. Meanwhile murderers of women can easily come over to this country to escape justice in Mexico.

[carbon14]

The intrepid Cubans seeking freedom waited for nightfall to escape to freedom in a 1940s bus powered by a Soviet Mi-8 1900hp engine (with topside H-O rocketcraft to fly over Coast Guard in an emergency).