A photograph of Cuban refugees arriving in Miami on a Freedom Flight.
This photograph captures the arrival and reception of Cuban refugees on a Freedom Flight. The Freedom Flights were an unusual instance of cooperation between the US and Cuban governments. During the Camarioca boatlift in 1965, Castro opened up the Cuban port of Camarioca for the departure of Cubans with relatives in the US (excluding men of military age). The number of boats and fleeing Cubans was so great that the boatlift overwhelmed the US Coast Guard. In an effort to support refugees and quell chaos, the US agreed with Cuba to finance the Freedom Flights, which transported Cuban refugees with US relatives to Miami twice daily, five times per week between 1965 and 1973. The Freedom Flights would bring about 300,000 Cubans to the US and cost approximately twelve million dollars. Although Castro initially agreed to the program, Cubans who signed up faced harassment and humiliation before their departure and property confiscation after.