Mariel+Boatlift+of+1980

IGNORANCE__**
 * __RULE!
 * 1980
 * Over 125,00 Cubans migrated to the U.S.
 * Many migrators released from mental institutions and jails (5000)
 * Strengthened Castro's rule
 * Declining economy and dissatisfication in politic>11,000 Cubans flee to US (1980)
 * Castro allowed these people to leave to rid Cuba of embarassment

In 1980, Castro temporarily allowed Cubans to leave for the United States. During the exodus, over 125,000 Cubans, many of whom had been released from mental institutions and jails, migrated to the United States. This move by Castro strengthened his rule by allowing many dissidents to leave the country.

Due to a dissatisfaction of political controls and a declining economy, in 1980, about 11,000 Cubans fled to the United States. In order to avoid embarrassment and to rid Cuba of opponents to his regime, Castro allowed people to leave. About 125,000 Cubans took advantage of this opportunity. Castro went as far as to empty his jails and mental institutions with sending 5,000 common criminals and mentally ill as well. Castro’s rule was helped by this situation because now Cuba is filled with a larger majority of support.

Even with housing and job shortages as well as a horrible economy, Castro withdrew his guards from the Peruvian embassy in Havana on April 4th, 1980. Less than 48 hours after the guards were removed, Cubans crowded into the the embassy, requesting to stay. Castro permitted any person who wanted to leave Cuba free access to leave from the port of Mariel, Cuba. Hundreds of little rafts even left Miami and sailed to Mariel, where they loaded up with refugees, and then attempted to return to Miami. By the time the boatlift ended, over 125,000 Cubans had been accepted into the US and of those only 27 people died. This helped Castro because now many of his opposers had left, leaving mostly people who followed him and agreed with his ways.