Cuban boat people seek asylum

Seven Cuban men, who illegally landed on the Belizean coast near San Pedro earlier this month, today did their best to avoid repatriation. The men: Jaime Sanchez, Enrique Camacho, Ramon Rivero, Alejandro Maury, Roberto Miranda, Armando Quintana, and Luis Maquedo, appeared before Magistrate Margaret McKenzie. They all pleaded not guilty to the charge of failure to present themselves on arrival and requested time to contact an attorney. Their intent is not only to get their day in court, but to seek political asylum. The Cubans were remanded to Hattieville Prison until November twenty-seventh. During that time, if necessary, two of them are to receive medical attention for injuries resulting from their difficult journey. They landed on southern Ambergris Caye on November seventh on a small sailboat, presumably after being blown off their course to Florida. The men, whose occupations range from bartending to sculpting, have all expressed a desire to stay and work in Belize. Typically, illegal immigrants, upon conviction, are returned to their country of origin.