A group of Cuban exiles in Miami sent a remote-controlled boat to Havana this weekend with a huge balloon and an even bigger message.
The mysterious inflatable boat, attached to a 16-foot balloon marked with the word ``Democracy,'' landed Monday on Playa del Chivo, a Havana beach near the Malecon, the famed seafront boulevard. The boat also contained humanitarian supplies -- such as soap, Pampers and pencils -- and a timed device to broadcast the purpose of the act.
``It was a raft carrying a blimp,'' explained Luis Felipe Rojas, a spokesman for the Democracy Movement, a Miami group known for its flotillas to international waters near Cuba. ``It had a motor and automated vessel with a GPS [Global Positioning Satellite system] which took it to the Havana coastline.''
The group released the vessel late Sunday from a boat within international waters in the Florida Straits. International press in Havana confirmed its landing -- and stated that 15 security forces were sent to the craft to investigate. Journalists were not allowed near the craft, but could see the boat and its outboard motor from a distance with ``Democracy'' written in red and blue on the deflated balloon.
Said Rojas: ``It was an attempt to send a message to the Cuban people that we're willing to help them, that we don't take into consideration any foreign laws or the Cuban government. Although this is only a symbolic gesture stating our willingness to help the Cuban people, it is only the Cuban government that is refusing that aid to the Cuban people.''
He added: ``We're trying to exercise our rights to go into Cuba and help the Cuban people.''
The entire equipment -- boat, satellite and motor -- cost about $3,000, said Ramon Saul Sanchez, founder of the group.
``Future ones will be even more precise,'' Sanchez said. ``You could sit on Miami Beach, send it to Havana, have it drive up the Malecon and return -- if it had enough gas.''
The U.S. State Department, however, was not amused, Sanchez said, adding that they called and asked him all kinds of questions about what was sent.
The Cuban government did not publicly respond to the landing of the boat.
The Democracy Movement has organized several flotillas to waters near Cuba and plans another July 18. The remote-controlled boat was a new approach.
``This will mark a new strategy to claim our right to return to Cuba,'' Rojas said. ``This operation was only a symbolic gesture to let the world know we're willing to go back with much-needed supplies and humanitarian aid.''
This story was supplemented by Herald wire services.
``A ningún ciudadano de este país se le pregunta a dónde va a ir antes de que vaya'', dijo Iriondo.
Tres aviones de la organización Hermanos al Rescate participaron en la ceremonia con el Movimiento Democracia. Las aeronaves dejaron caer una señal de humo naranja y flores en el Punto Mártires, el área donde fueron abatidos hace dos años cuatro pilotos voluntarios de la organización por cazas de la fuerza aérea cubana en aguas internacionales.
Durante el viaje de recordación, un escampavía de los guardacostas siguió a la flotilla a unos 150 metros de distancia.
En el lugar de la ceremonia, los manifestantes observaron la ausencia de guardacostas cubanos.
``Nos dio tremenda soberbia ver que el guardacostas norteamericano le estaba cuidando la frontera marítima al dictador'', dijo Ramón Enrique Díaz, uno de los fundadores del Movimiento Democracia.
Por un momento, en la noche del viernes parecía que los guardacostas tenían ordenes de arrestar a los manifestantes. En abierto desafío a la política de Estados Unidos, Sánchez no dijo si planeaba llevar sus barcos a Cuba.
``Nos reservamos siempre nuestro derecho bajo la ley norteamericana y bajo la declaración universal de derechos humanos de entrar en nuestras aguas y nuestro territorio'', dijo Sánchez.``No nos hicieron la pregunta [de si teníamos intenciones de llegar a Cuba], pero en todo momento estaremos dispuestos a lidiar con eso. Como no hubo ninguna pregunta, entendimos esto como la reivindicación de nuestros derechos constitucionales''.
Woodring señaló que las expresiones de Sánchez fueron trasmitidas al cuartel general de los guardacostas, y aseveró que Estados Unidos garantiza las libertades básicas de sus ciudadanos.
``El gobierno de Estados Unidos apoya la libertad para demostrar la libertad de expresión, pero no apoya las cuestiones de incidentes internacionales'', dijo.