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home / archives / 1980 /  8th April

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Out of gas.

Despite strong economic ties with the Soviet Union the Cuban economy collapsed in 1980 leading to up to 10,000 people seeking asylum in the Peruvian embassy on April the 6th. The event lead to Fidel Castro declaring the port of Mariel open resulting in the "Mariel Boatlift" which began on 15th of April, 1980 and lasted till October 31, 1980 and saw over 125,000 people leaving Cuba mainly for the United States of America.