Cuba reiterated commitment to safe and orderly migration

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 12 (ACN) During the U.S.-Cuba migration talks held in Washington, D.C., Cuba reaffirmed its willingness to meet its commitments, reiterated its concern about the policies that favor illegal migration, and stressed the need to comply entirely rather than selectively with the current bilateral agreements on this issue.

The Cuban delegation laid special emphasis on the impact of the U.S. blockade and its marked reinforcement since 2019 to the detriment of the socioeconomic standards of living of the Cuban population, which encourages migration, as do the preferential treatment of Cubans who enter U.S. soil illegally and the Cuban Adjustment Act.

Cuba also referred to the need for the U.S. Embassy in Havana to resume non-immigrant visa arrangements—interrupted six years ago on false grounds—so that Cuban citizens are no longer forced to travel to a third country to apply for a visa.

Likewise, Cuba decried the granting of political asylum to the Cuban citizen Rubén Martínez Machado, who hijacked a Cuban civil aircraft on October 21, 2022.

Carlos Fernández de Cossío Domínguez, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, headed the Cuban delegation, whereas David Cloe, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere at the Department of Homeland Security represented the United States.