It was one way in which the United States tried to weaken Fidel Castro’s government, by welcoming tens of thousands of Cubans fleeing repression from the island. “It’s important that Cuba continue to have a young, dynamic population that are agents of change,” Mr. Rhodes said. The number of Cubans trying to arrive by sea surged after the United States and Cuba announced the decision to restore diplomatic relations in 2014. The number of Cubans who have since begun to arrive in the United States by land has also soared in recent years. Since then, he has given up on his desire to move to the United States.

Source: New York Times January 12, 2017 22:34 UTC