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History Of The Mariel Boatlift Through The Eyes Of Tony Montana

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The Mariel Boatlift Through the Eyes of Tony Montana The Mariel boatlift was the immigration of over 125,000 Cuban political refugees to Southern Florida from Port of Mariel, Cuba between April 15 and October 31, 1980. This major event gave Cubans the opportunity to escape the atrocities of communism put in place by dictator Fidel Castro and in some cases, join their relatives who had previously immigrated to the U.S. Yet, it soon became apparent to American President Jimmy Carter that Castro used the Mariel boatlift as an opportunity to empty Cuban jails and mental health institutions. Of the 125,000 refugees that landed in Florida, an estimated 25,000 had criminal records. This stimulated rise of crime in Miami and was arguably one of many …show more content…

The major factors for this hostility was the rise in unemployment rate from 5.0% in April 1980 to 7.1% and a staggering 50% increase in the homicide rate between 1979 and 1980. Almost immediately, the way Americans perceived the boatlift darkened, casting a pall on the future of the more than 125,000 Cubans – most of them law-abiding – who would arrive in the United States. For 25 years now, the Marielitos, have quietly chipped away at the stereotype they were saddled with. According to American immigration statistics, more than 90 percent of them worked hard, paid taxes and stayed out of …show more content…

It is for this reason that the film continues to be a cultural icon and Tony Montana continues to be a role model for the economically disadvantaged. It is not to say that the film encourages criminal behavior, but it stimulates an impoverished or powerless person to persevere in the competitive economic battlegrounds. Scarface has continued its ceaseless commercial intrusions into the marketplace, its non-stop permeation into all media, the way it continues to influence a new generation of pop-culture creators. Influences from the film include a video game release in 2006, references in popular shows such as The Simpsons, South Park, and The Family Guy, as well as merchandise such as show and action figures. The Mariel boatlift’s greater societal effects, such as stereotyping and the War on Drugs illustrate the power of the American people; this is not more clearly shown in de Palma’s

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