In 1964, Reinaldo Cruz built a makeshift raft and managed to escape communist Cuba. Over the next decades, he was followed by perhaps hundreds of thousands of others. Cubans who like him, preferred to throw themselves into shark infested waters than continue living under the tyranny of a brutally repressive socialist dictatorship.


Only God knows how many never made it across, but conservative estimates put that number in the tens of thousands.


Via Miami's WSVN 7 News:

The new movie “El Balsero” tells the story of the man who is believed to be the first Cuban migrant to have reached Miami on a makeshift raft.

In 1964, Reinaldo Cruz, who the movie is based on, begins to witness the violence and social unrest during the early stages of Fidel Castro's regime.

The 16-year-old made the decision to leave his mother and sister behind to travel over 300 miles for a chance at freedom.

“‘El Balsero' is inspired by the true story of the very first Cuban migrant to reach Miami, to reach the United States, on nothing more than a makeshift raft,” said Director Jose Navas.

His journey would be one that launched a massive following of others searching for a better life.

“In a historical standpoint, it serves as a catalyst to the beginning of a mass exodus. We're talking about more than a million Cubans that have left Cuba on nothing more, and these are people that left on rafts — not boats — makeshift rafts,” said Navas.

Cruz had risked his life out on the water surviving multiple obstacles to America including a shark attack and surviving a thunderstorm.

Navas said he attempted to accurately portray Cruz's story for the film, but it didn't come without complications.

“We had Reinaldo Cruz as a consultant on the film, so I actually have the balsero on the film. Me and him went over locations and went over what we thought would be the best locations, and Key Biscayne has exactly what we need, and it was amazing,” said Navas. “We dropped off el balsero, our actor with the balsa, with the raft, and then we backed up because we had to get those drone shots. Next thing we know, we have two or three choppers, we have the Coast Guard. It was insane.”

It seems that Reinaldo Cruz didn't appreciate the Castro's literacy program that Bernie keeps talking about.

The Young Man and the Sea

Margaret wrote:The Young Man and the Sea

He must have been lookin' fer answers...

'pelipsky

jackalopelipsky wrote:

Margaret wrote:The Young Man and the Sea

He must have been lookin' fer answers...

'pelipsky

El analfabeto escapó del programa de alfabetización El Comandante.

Cradle to Grave Marxist wrote:

jackalopelipsky wrote:

Margaret wrote:The Young Man and the Sea

He must have been lookin' fer answers...

'pelipsky

El analfabeto escapó del programa de alfabetización El Comandante.

Yo da poo' ill'da'rat' foo' ran away from El Comandante's reading skoo and shit.



[attachment=0]temp2PacSignature.png[/attachment]

jackalopelipsky wrote:

Margaret wrote:The Young Man and the Sea

He must have been lookin' fer answers...

'pelipsky

Aren't we all?

But we don't care what 'most people' say.

Ellsworth Toohey wrote:

jackalopelipsky wrote:

Margaret wrote:The Young Man and the Sea

He must have been lookin' fer answers...

'pelipsky

Aren't we all?

[highlight=#ffff99]But we don't care what 'most people' say.[/highlight]

ET, and that's just how the mythical horned rodent, Jackalopelipsky, Russian Agent of Thought Criminal Hooliganism, #BR 549 was created with stamped certification almost 3 decades ago.

'pelipsky is now free to feelthinksay whatever comes to 'pelipsky's mythical mind...because after all...it's just a mythical horned rodent doin' the feelthinksayin'.

forelock tug,
'pelipsky

Clearly that man was mentally ill!!! Why would anyone, in their right mind, want to escape a glorious paradise like Cuba?