.c The Associated Press
July 23
JALAPA, Mexico (AP) - About 20 Cuban refugees trying to flee their homeland by boat have been picked up by Mexico's Navy, immigration officials said.
Officials of the National Immigration Institute said the group, including men, women and children, were picked up off the southern coast of Veracruz state on Tuesday. They had been trying to reach Miami in a 15-foot boat, the officials said.
The refugees apparently had been at sea for several days and were taken to hospitals in the port of Veracruz for treatment of exhaustion and other ailments.
Officials said they had not yet determined whether the Cubans should be returned to the island.
The United States and most other countries near Cuba have agreements with the communist government to return those who do not face persecution at home. Mexico said the Cubans complained of economic and social conditions, factors which would not make them eligible for asylum.
The agreements are designed to discourage Cubans from setting out on life-threatening sea journeys and to prevent uncontrolled waves of immigrants of the sort that flooded into the United States in 1980 and 1994.
AP-NY-07-23-98 0137EDT
Copyright 1998 The Associated Press.