On April 12, 2023, representatives of Cuba and the United States held bilateral migration talks in Washington D.C. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío Domínguez led the Cuban delegation and Department of Homeland Security’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere David Cloe led the U.S. delegation.
The implementation of the bilateral Migration Accords was reviewed, the purpose of which is to guarantee regular, safe and orderly migration. Cuba reaffirmed its willingness to comply with and respect the commitments made, as it has done so far.
Cuba reiterated its concern over the measures to encourage illegal migration. Special emphasis is placed on the negative impact that the U.S. economic blockade and the extreme re-enforcing measures applied since 2019 have on the socioeconomic conditions of the Cuban population, a major incentive to migration. The preferential treatment that Cubans who illegally enter the U.S. territory still receive and the validity of the Cuban Adjustment Act are also incentives.
The Cuban delegation reiterated the need to resume the processing of non-immigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. The delegation emphasized that after 6 years, it is inconceivable for Cuban citizens to be forced to travel to a third country to get a visa, when there is an Embassy and a Consulate in Cuba and the alleged reasons for closing such services in Cuba have been proven to be false.
The Cuban representatives reiterated their rejection of the political asylum granted to Cuban citizen Rubén Martínez Machado, author of the hijacking of a Cuban civil aircraft AN-2 on October 21, 2022. They insisted that impunity for actions of this nature encourages illicit acts with dangerous and negative consequences for the air safety and the national security of both countries.
Cuba stressed the importance of complying with the bilateral migration accords in full and not selectively, and reaffirmed its willingness to continue the rounds of talks on migration issues.
(Cubaminrex)