“It will Not be Possible to Regulate Migration as Long as the Policy of Suffocation against Cuba Persists”

By Johana Tablada on April 12, 2023

Johana Tablada, photo: ACN

Today, April 12, delegations from Cuba and the United States will meet in Washington DC to hold a new round of migration talks.

As on other occasions, in this exercise the representatives of both countries will examine compliance with bilateral migration agreements aimed at guaranteeing regular, safe and orderly migration.

In 2022, positive steps were recorded in migratory matters such as the resumption of the operation of the US consulate and the granting of visas in Havana suspended unilaterally and arbitrarily since 2017.

However, there are very important unresolved issues that have a direct impact on stimulating high migratory flows and irregular emigration that will be addressed by the Cuban delegation. Among these incentives among stand out:

1. The permanence of extreme coercive measures that affect the socioeconomic conditions of our population. The U.S. government with its extreme and inhumane siege measures is responsible for the high migratory flows from Cuba.

It will not be possible to regulate migration as long as the policy of asphyxiation against Cuba persists. In this regard, the double standard with which the United States approaches the real causes of migration in other countries of origin is noteworthy.

For example, when talking about the countries of the northern triangle, the U.S. government recognizes the weight that socioeconomic conditions have in the decision of many to emigrate. For them, there are programs aimed at improving those conditions. In the case of Cuba, on the contrary, the policy is designed to hinder all sources of income for the population and the stability of the society.

The U.S. government refuses to admit the link between the asphyxiating measures against Cuba and the effects on the well-being and livelihood of the population that are determinant in the decision of many Cuban families to emigrate and begin a life project in better material conditions.

This includes the tightening of the financial siege due to the fraudulent inclusion of Cuba in the so-called list of State sponsors of terrorism, the direct attack on the basic services of the population including Cuba’s public health services, the infamous persecution of fuel imports, of the country’s international medical cooperation and the application of Title III of the Helms Burton Act, among other inhumane measures in violation of International Law.

These are additional unilateral coercive measures to those applied after more than sixty years of blockade and the tightening of this extraterritorial financial, economic and commercial siege deliberately designed to deteriorate the standard of living of the population, destabilize the country and bring about a change of government.

In particular, an increase in flows is observed as a result of the “maximum pressure” policy as it was called by the same members of the Trump team and which continue in force with the Biden

administration. Most of the latter have been implemented in a surprisingly strict and loyal manner by the Biden administration that at some point called them inhumane as it was reflected in the electoral platform of his party.

2. The Cuban delegation will address the concern over the privileged treatment that Cubans receive when they arrive irregularly in the U.S. This treatment continues despite the January 5 measures and represents an additional incentive to irregular migration, in addition to the impact of the Cuban Adjustment Act, which facilitates the regularization of the migratory status of Cubans regardless of the route they use to reach the U.S.
3. Cuba will insist on the resumption of non-immigrant visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. This has a direct impact on migration because Cubans have been limited for 6 years in their ability to visit their relatives in the U.S. or make other types of visits to that country. Faced with this uncertainty many decide to emigrate.

It is hard to believe that this processing has not been resumed due to lack of resources and capabilities of the U.S. Embassy in Havana.

4. Recent granting of political asylum to the hijacker of the AN-2 aircraft. This is an act that damages the bilateral relationship, aviation standards and air safety and is an irresponsible breach of the agreements in force between the two countries, as well as an encouragement to subsequent similar acts as occurred a few days later with the Cuban Aviation Club’s powered hang glider aircraft.

Cuba ratifies its commitment with the compliance of the migratory agreements and considers that the exchange and cooperation between Cuba and the United States is key to confront transnational crimes that include the illicit traffic of immigrants.

Johana Tablada is deputy director of the U.S. general directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), in statements to the national and foreign press.

Source: Cuba MINREX, unofficial translation Resumen Latinoamericano – English