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Heriberto Sedeno left Havana, Cuba on October 2, 1962. He arrived in Miami, Florida as an unaccompanied Cuban child; he was 16 years old at the time. He was one of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children who arrived to the US between 1960-1962 under the auspices of the Pedro Pan program.
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HERIBERTO SEDENO RETURNS TO HAVANA, CUBA AFTER ALMOST 50 YEARS IN U.S.A. EXILE
Heriberto Sedeno left Havana, Cuba on October 2, 1962. He arrived in Miami, Florida as an unaccompanied Cuban child; he was 16 years old at the time. He was one of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children who arrived to the US between 1960-1962 under the auspices of the Pedro Pan program. This program functioned under the umbrella of the Cuban Refugee Program; at the time, the most comprehensive program devised in the US to meet the needs of incoming refugees.
Shortly after Mr. Sedeno’s arrival to Camp Matecumbe in the outskirts of Miami, the Cuban Missile Crisis ensued on October 22, 1962. This crisis part of the Cold War cut off the daily flights from Havana to Miami thus stopping the arrival of children to the US. It established a US blockade to Cuba and subsequent economic embargo, which after 50 years is still in place.
Heriberto Sedeno returned to Cuba on March 5, 2010 for a 17-day reunion with his cousins, the only remaining members of his family living in Havana with their families. His visit was made possible by a relaxation of the US Department guidelines, instituted by President Barack Obama, to allow Cuban born US citizens to visit their relatives in Cuba.
Upon his arrival to Jose Marti airport in Havana, Mr. Sedeno was greeted by his cousins who after almost 50 years of separation started to reconnect family ties. It was a very emotional encounter seeing that his beloved Havana had suffered the effects of the Castro Marxist hardline communist rule. This was evident by the demise of the 1959’s standard of infrastructure with unpaved road, decayed buildings, frequent water and electricity stoppage and little means of transportation. The basic food needs were still rationed, the people earning less than $1 a day to meet their basic needs. While medical help is free, there is very little supply of medicines. Education is free, but there are no jobs after graduation.
The Castro regime in order to get needed dollars has maintained a small area around the “Old Havana” for the enjoyment of visitors. Mr. Sedeno toured familiar sites from his childhood, such as: El Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro in the harbor entrance built between 1589 and 1630 to defend the city against pirates and enemy fleet. By the side of the Morro, he visited the fortress of San Carlos de la Cabana built in mid 18th century, which was the headquarters of Che Guevara in the early days of Castro revolution in 1959. The Havana Cathedral, which is the only example of a Baroque façade designed with asymmetrical features --one of the towers is wider than the other. It is officially named “La Catedral de la Virgen Maria de la Concepcion Inmaculada de La Habana” finished in mid 18th century.
Mr. Sedeno, nostalgic trip to Havana where he left almost 50 years at the Jose Marti airport of Havana ended March 22, 2012 but this time as an American citizen proud to come back to America his adoptive homeland.
