By Kimone Witter
The Jamaican authorities on Saturday repatriated 21 Cuban nationals who illegally arrived in the country.
According to Cuba's Ministry of the Interior, the group was returned through the port of Santiago de Cuba and it was the first operation of this kind carried out by Jamaica by sea.
It says the majority of nationals sent back are people who embarked on their journeys on rafts from Granma province, located in eastern Cuba.
A police source told Radio Jamaica News that 14 Cubans who illegally arrived in St. James in October and November were among the group that was repatriated on the weekend.
The migrants, who arrived in three batches, came ashore in St. James in the vicinity of the Half Moon hotel.
They were detained at the Freeport Police lock-up for processing and later removed to another location.
The Cuban authorities say with this latest repatriation, the year has seen a cumulative total of 93 operations involving the return of Cuban migrants from various countries, affecting 1,384 individuals.
Cuban media is reporting that the Jamaican authorities conducted the repatriation operation as part of efforts to manage irregular migration, marking a significant step in cooperation with Cuba to address this ongoing issue.
The media say the dire situation in Cuba, coupled with a lack of freedoms, continues to drive nationals to take risks in the hope of reaching the United States and other countries.
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