Cubans Sell Homes, Take Amazon Journey by Air, Land and Water and Seek to Stay in Brazil
Key takeaways
- The journey includes flights, vans, boats, cars and buses, departing from Suriname and French Guiana.
- Cuba’s economic and political crisis — marked by blackouts, shortages and intensified restrictions since Donald Trump returned to the White House — is behind the exodus.
- The flow takes place weekly and is linked to a flight between Havana and Paramaribo.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The journey includes flights, vans, boats, cars and buses, departing from Suriname and French Guiana. In 2025, at least 8,400 Cubans entered through Oiapoque; throughout the year, 41,900 requested refuge in the country — nearly twice as many as Venezuelans (21,200).
Cuba’s economic and political crisis — marked by blackouts, shortages and intensified restrictions since Donald Trump returned to the White House — is behind the exodus. Families sell homes and furniture to finance the journey, estimated at US$ 6,000 per family group.
The flow takes place weekly and is linked to a flight between Havana and Paramaribo. Logistics networks suspected of involvement in organized crime, extortion, migrant smuggling and money laundering control the route. The Federal Police of Amapá is investigating the scheme: Brazilians identified as "picapeiros" and boat operators charge Cubans amounts up to four times higher than those charged to Brazilians.