HAVANA TIMES – On December 27, 2022, we left on our journey towards Brazil. It was excessively cold, even for winter. Despite the tensions in the days leading up to the trip, for reasons I don’t understand, I managed to sleep like a baby.
The car arrived at 8 am. We had a flight scheduled for noon. There was just enough time to double-check our documents, money, and luggage; leave precise instructions about who should get the belongings that still remained to be distributed; embrace the family; and cry, cry with regret.
My mother went with us to the airport. In an attempt to maximize those last moments, she had slept with us that early morning. It was a short and implosive farewell. When we turned our backs, there was only ourselves and the journey.
Passing through customs to exit the country represented the first of several victories, amid a few short blackouts that delayed our departure.
We flew into Puerto España in Trinidad and Tobago, a flight of about 5 hours. We had a layover there until seven that night, before leaving for Guyana. We landed at the Guyana airport at about 10 pm.
At the exit door, our coyote was waiting. He took us to a house and gave us food and water, then charged us $900, instead of the 700 we had agreed upon. He asked us if we wanted to leave for Brazil right away, and we said yes.
He then took us to the starting p