Freedom! Some of the 19 Cuban freedom seekers who washed ashore in America this week. Welcome, amigos!
Source: Babalu

Yesterday I had a long conversation with a source in the U.S. foreign policy establishment. I told him Ecuador was making me sick, but I asked him what the foremost concern of the U.S. was in Latin America.

He told me two things: Chavez’s declaration that he would dictate by decree … it was really bothering them … and Cuba. He wanted to know why the media was ignoring Cuba because he said they shouldn’t be.

Those two matters were preoccupying them above all else these days. They were fearful for Venezuela but cautiously hopeful for Cuba.

He said that he hoped the tyranny of Cuba would be addressed in the president’s state of the union message, and at that point, he was waiting to see if it was.

Thankfully, it was. Bush pointedly brought up Cuba, along with Belarus and Burma, and he seemed to put some emphasis on the word ‘Cuba’ even if he only made a short reference.

He ought to.

Nineteen more Cubans washed up on our shores in Florida this week. Val at Babalu blog has a source who was on the scene, who told of the 19 Cubans’ warm reception from the people who found them – including friendly cops, and the Cuban-Americans who took them in. His source described the Cubans’ deep joy and fluttery anticipation of a whole new dawn of opportunities in landing and in breathing free air for the first times in their lives. The 19, united by their voyage, were now one big family.

The Cubans spoke of their dangerous journey and the efforts of the Castroite goons to capture and imprison them. But luck blew in their way, and even though they sailed the high seas in shark-infested waters to an uncertain landing and an uncertain fate in America, they somehow made it. It’s the most joyous and revolutionary day of their lives.

Val has a photo of the boat here and an awesome firsthand account that left me teary-eyed to read of the miracle that just happened on our shores from Cuba this week. Don’t miss it. Read the whole thing here.