The sources consulted for this Response do not agree on the exact date on which the first Cubans arrived at the Embassy of Peru in Havana. The United States Commission on Immigration Reform and the Cuban Information Archives reported that a busload of Cubans crashed through the embassy gates on 28 March 1980 (USCIR Feb. 1994; Cuban Information Archives 1998), while several other sources indicated that the incident occurred on 1 April 1980 (Miami Herald 6 Sept. 1998; Americas Watch Jan. 1989; Larzelere 1988; Domínguez 1992). However, several corroborating sources state that a Cuban guard was killed during this incident and that, after the Peruvian government refused to hand over the Cubans, the Cuban government removed all of its guards from the embassy on 4 April 1980 and announced that all those who wanted to leave the country could do so by reporting to the Embassy of Peru (ibid.; Americas Watch Jan. 1989; Larzelere 1988; Cuban Information Archives 1998; AP 1 June 1980). Approximately 10,800 Cubans crowded into the embassy between 4 and 6 April 1980 before the Cuban guards resumed their posts (Larzelere 1988; Cuban Information Archives 1998; Xinhua 23 Apr. 1980).

According to the United States Commission on Immigration Reform, 677 of the Cubans who took refuge at the Embassy of Peru were airlifted out of the country and taken to Costa Rica between 16 and 18 April 1980 (Feb. 1994). Flights to Costa Rica were cut off on 18 April 1980, but the Cuban government later opened Mariel Harbour on 20 April 1980 to all those wishing to leave the country (UPI 28 Dec. 1980; The Washington Post 24 Apr. 1980; Domínguez 1992, 56). From 21 April to 26 September 1980, some 125,000 to 129,000 Cubans arrived in Florida from Mariel Harbour (Cuban Information Archives 1998; UPI 26 Sept. 1980), including at least half of the people who took refuge at the Embassy of Peru (Americas Watch Jan. 1989).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Americas Watch. January 1989. Human Rights in Cuba: The Need to Sustain the Pressure. NY: Americas Watch Committee.

Associated Press (AP). 1 June 1980. Ike Flores. "Cuban Refugee Boatlift at Virtual Standstill." (NEXIS)

Cuban Information Archives. 1998. "Mariel Chronology: May 13, 1979 - Dec. 11 1981." http://www.cuban-exile.com/doc038.htm [Accessed 17 Apr. 1999]

Domínguez, Jorge. 1992. "Cooperating with the Enemy? U.S. Immigration Policies toward Cuba." Western Hemisphere Immigration and United States Foreign Policy. Edited by Christopher Mitchell. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press.

Larzelere, Alex. 1988. Castro's Ploy - America's Dilemma: The 1980 Cuban Boatlift. Washington: National Defense University Press.

Miami Herald. 6 September 1998. Fabiola Santiago. "The Cuban Who Sparked the Exodus Breaks His Silence." http://gopher.fiu.edu/~fcf/marielfounder.html [Accessed 17 Apr. 1999]

United Press International (UPI). 28 December 1980. G. Chris Chavez. "In tiny runabouts, creaking freighters..." (NEXIS)

_____. 26 September 1980. "A Chronology of the Cuban Refugee Sealift." (NEXIS)

United States Commission on Immigration Reform (USCIR). February 1994. Gordon Bolton. "Immigration Emergencies: Learning from the Past, Planning for the Future." http://migration.ucdavis.edu/MN-Resources/BoHon/Bolton/bolton.htm [Accessed 24 Mar. 1999]

Washington Post. 24 April 1980. Marlise Simons. "Cuba Suddenly Permits Mass Emigration to U.S." (NEXIS)

Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 23 April 1980. "Some Cuban Refugees Go to U.S." (NEXIS)