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Monday, January 14, 2008

Smugglers prey on desperation

I can't imagine anything more heartbreaking than these relatives waiting to hear any news about 40 Cubans who are lost at sea after leaving the island in November. The boat they were being smuggled in was fit for 8 people, and the smuggler who was making the clandestine trip stood to make $400,000. What a criminal! He new he was running a high risk in terrible weather by cramming five times the number of people on the boat. Smugglers such as these should be severly prosecuted.
Yet, what desperation must these people face on the island to risk their lives!

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

All of those who know who the smugglers are and don't turn them in are just as guilty for these deaths as are the smugglers. There must be a whole network of people involved in this smuggling activity and they are all getting paid in some way. They are all guilty of the loss of these innocent lives.

3:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Like it or not the smugglers are a necessary evil. I feel current U.S. policy makes it very difficult for familes living in the U.S. to get visas for their loved ones in Cuba. What would you do if you were separated from your family? If visas were easier to get then there would be no need for the smugglers. I am an American and my wife is Cuban. We have paid the smugglers to bring her family members here. I felt happy we had a source to go to. If there were no smugglers some of my wife's family would still be suffering in Cuba. To me the smugglers are heros. $10,000 per person is a bargin for someone's freedom. Granted there are some smugglers who are stupid and take unnessary chances. They only care about the money. That was not the case with us. Our family members were taken by boat to Mexico They were treated very well throughout the whole trip. I thought it was a very professional operation. I also know these people are not getting rich from this. That $10,000 dollars is split many ways with a lot of different people along the way. I know part of that money was paid as bribes to Mexican officials.

10:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

By deffinition a "hero" is a person noted or admired for nobility, courage and outstanding achievements etc. Smugglers are importing and exporting illegally for their own personal gain, they may not be getting rich, but they are getting paid. If they were true hero's then they would be bringing your family members here free of charge.
And your opening sentence is correct, I don't like it and smugglers are evil!

1:37 PM  

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