From April to October 1980, approximately 125,000 Cubans migrated to the United States in the Mariel boatlift, a mass exodus from the port of Mariel, Cuba. The event was triggered by a sharp economic downturn and a political crisis in Cuba, leading Fidel Castro to allow Cubans to leave from the port of Mariel. The boatlift brought a wave of refugees, including a significant number of people released from prisons and mental health facilities, creating a major humanitarian and political challenge for the U.S. The majority of the Marielitos settled in Miami, reshaping the city's Cuban-American community.

The Mariel Boatlift is a pivotal event in Cuban-American literature, providing a rich source of material for exploring themes of exile, community, and identity. It is a central subject in works by writers like Reinaldo Arenas and Achy Obejas, who have chronicled the experiences of the Marielitos. The boatlift has been depicted in poetry and fiction as a moment of both liberation and profound dislocation, reflecting the complex relationship between the U.S. and Cuba.