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2 articles

Cuban rafters being rescued at sea in the Caribbean by a larger vessel

News Feb 17, 2026 4 min read

Cuban Rafters Rescued in Mexico and Caribbean as Sea Routes Surge

Seven rafters rescued off Quintana Roo and six by a Royal Caribbean cruise. Maritime routes resurge after Nicaragua closes its migration corridor.

Horse-drawn cart transportation in Cuba, 1994, near Varadero. Photo: Nick/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

History Feb 17, 2026 5 min read

The Special Period: the Crisis That Transformed 1990s Cuba

The history of Cuba's Special Period (1991-2000), the devastating economic crisis after the fall of the USSR that changed the island forever.