Osmara García Mesa, a Cuban mother, has taken to social media in a relentless quest to find her son, Jonathan Jesús Álvarez García, who vanished in January 2023 while attempting to reach the United States on a raft with 32 others. In a heartfelt Facebook post, Osmara revealed that the vessel departed from Cárdenas, Matanzas, in the early hours of January 3, and since then, there has been no news about her son or the other rafters.
Born on October 31, 1994, Jonathan was 28 years old when he disappeared. Among those on the same journey were Noralvis Álvarez Flores, 39, and Aylet de la Caridad Capote Álvarez, a 9-year-old who was soon to turn 10. In her desperation for information, Osmara has urged anyone with knowledge of their whereabouts to contact her at 58112193 or visit her home in Cárdenas, Cuba.
The Human Cost of Risky Journeys
This case underscores the tragedy faced by many Cuban families searching for loved ones who risk their lives on the treacherous sea voyage to the United States in hopes of better opportunities. As of August 31, reports revealed that the perilous journey has claimed the lives of at least 142 rafters in 2024 alone, according to a report by the International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project.
The grim statistics, reported by EFE, contribute to a broader picture, showing a total of 291 migrants dead or missing in Caribbean maritime routes this year, marking an 18% increase compared to the 247 cases reported throughout 2023.
Ongoing Crisis of Disappearances
In July, the platform YoSíTeCreo in Cuba alerted the disappearance of a group of seven Cuban women and 12 men somewhere off the country's western coast, between the provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque, after an alleged illegal departure. Additionally, in January, it was reported that a rustic vessel carrying 13 rafters from Cuba went missing since December 19 of the previous year.