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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Thursday that those planning to navigate waters near Cuba could face thousands of dollars in fines and jail time if they entered Cuban territory without l authorization from the US Coast Guard.
A DHS advisory released Thursday follows news that a group of South Florida organizers planned to launch a flotilla, or fleet of ships, next week to show support for the ongoing anti-government protests in Cuba.
However, DHS reminded Floridians that it “It is illegal for boaters to leave the United States with the intention of transiting Cuba for any purpose without a permit, ”adding that“ the waters of the Strait of Florida are unpredictable and dangerous ”.
“The Coast Guard urges South Florida boaters who are considering transiting Cuban territorial waters to ‘stay away from sea’,” the department said in a press release announcing the advisory.
The agency said that boaters who illegally enter Cuban territorial waters or leave the United States with “the intention of entering” Cuban waters without a permit “may be subject to seizure of their vessel, to penalties. civil and criminal penalties of up to $ 25,000 per day, and 10 years in prison. ”
The ministry went on to stress that boaters can be endangered while going to sea, especially with the potential for strong winds and waves during hurricane season.
DHS said on Thursday that if people decide to travel near Cuban waters, they should have “working communications equipment” in place, monitor the Coast Guard emergency channel, obtain appropriate life jackets and monitor up close weather conditions, among other recommendations.
The planned sea trip comes as Floridians in Miami and other parts of Florida, home to the country’s largest segment of Cuban-Americans, staged protests to show their support for the Cuban people protesting against the government. Communist in the midst of a worsening economic crisis within the island. nation.
Local organizer Osdany Veloz said he wanted “more than 100 boats” to assemble on Monday to set sail for Cuba, according to WFOR, a CBS Miami affiliate.
One person planning to make the trip, Jorge Lopez, told local media: “The goal is to stay at the border, not to enter, to stay in international waters and to let the Cuban people know that we are fighting. also for their freedom. , so once and for all they can be a free country.
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