Document #1009025
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
The only references to a Flotilla
Democracia found among the sources consulted by the Research
Directorate are in a news article in Spanish referring to one of
several flotillas of small vessels organized by the Florida-based
Movimiento Democracia, or Democracy Movement (CubaNet 19
May 1997). This Cuban opposition group has organized a number of
flotillas or flotilla sailings which attempt to approach Cuban
territorial waters, on occasions accompanied by aircraft of the
Florida-based Cuban opposition group Hermanos Al Rescate (Brothers
to the Rescue) (ibid. 20 Aug. 1997; FCF 18 July 1998; USDS 31 Oct.
1997). Although the Movimiento Democracia maintains an Internet
Website, few details on the organization are available. A United
States Department of State press statement refers to it as a
Miami-based group, with which it reached a legal settlement
agreeing to release the standard-bearing vessel of the flotillas,
called Democracia, which was confiscated after it violated
a Presidential Decree regarding unauthorized surface travel to Cuba
(ibid.). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) assisted the
Movimiento Democracia in its legal action against the U. S.
government confiscation of its vessel (FCF 27 Apr. 1998).
One news report on a late-1997 flotilla
identifies Ramon Sanchez as a spokesman for Movimiento Democracia
and adds that the group had "asked Havana residents to gather at El
Malecon esplanade at dusk or to bang pots and pans at 9 p.m. EST on
Saturday" (TBWT n.d. 1997). The report does not mention how this
request had been disseminated in Cuba.
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.
References
CubaNet [Miami, Fla.]. 20
August 1997. "Exilados planean protesta costa cubana contra planta
nuclear."[Internet] http://www.netpoint.net/~cubanet/Cnews/y97/aug97/20o3.htm
[Accessed 17 Dec. 1998]
_____. 19 May 1997. "Informaciones del
Buró de Prensa Independiente de Cuba: Llama el Movimiento 13
de Julio a la cordura de los integrantes de la Flotilla
Democracia." [Internet] http://www.netpoint.net/~cubanet/Cnews/y97/may97/
19a1.htm [Accessed 17 Dec. 1998]
Free Cuba Foundation (FCF), Miami. 18
July 1998. Rachel La Corte. "Flotilla Honors Drowned Cubans."
[Internet] http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/flotillaremembers98.
html [Accessed 17 Dec. 1998]
_____. 27 April 1998. "Movimiento
Democracia Reaches Pact; Wins Return of Principal Symbol."
[Internet] http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/
acludemocracia.html [Accessed 17 Dec. 1998]
The Black World Today (TBWT)
[Teaneck, NJ]. n.d. "Cuban Exiles Plan Laser Beam Message Over
Havana." [Internet] http://www.tbwt.com/articles/carib/
carib130.htm [Accessed 17 Dec. 1998]
United States Department of State
(USDS), Washington, DC. 31 October 1997. "November 1 'Flotilla'to
Waters Off Cuba." [Internet] http://secretary.state.gov/
www.briefings/statements/971031.html [Accessed 17 Dec.
1998]