FOX 35 EXCLUSIVE: Woman fights for fiancé to return home after being stuck in Cuba

SEBASTIAN, Fla. - A local man is stuck in Cuba. He has been there since December and does not know when he will be allowed home.

What started as a trip to see family has turned into a nightmare.

"He went to visit his family, but we never thought he was going to get stuck there. Literally, May 17, that’s going to be five months for him there," said Marisa Salinas, who lives in Sebastian.

Marisa Salinas’s fiancé, Hasley Cruz, flew down to Cuba in December and hasn’t been able to get back since. His January JetBlue flight was canceled. His February American Airlines flight was also canceled.

They’ve had trouble booking anything since.

"I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried flights to anywhere in the United States. I’ve tried flights into Mexico, flights into Puerto Rico," Salinas said.

Travel agents say Cuba is restricting travel right now because of COVID-19.

"There’s been no direct commercial air service by Cuban air carriers back to the United States. It was really when they re-implemented the COVID test coming back in, travel really dropped off," said Trips and Ships Luxury Travel agent Angela Hughes.

Salinas says COVID restrictions in Cuba right now are intense.

"During the weekends, he can’t go out. During the week, they have to be back home at six."

Their communication is limited. She says her fiancé lost his job and she’s had to find one to make up the difference. Salinas says she checks flights daily and has reached out to Marco Rubio’s office, the Department of State and the embassy but hasn’t received any help.

Her hope in talking to FOX 35 is that "it’ll come across someone who can possibly help me and try to bring him back home," she said.

FOX 35 reached out to Marco Rubio’s office but hasn’t heard back by the time this article was published.