Before the announcement by the Government of the United States of new migratory decisions, which concern Cuban citizens, Cubadebate requested the considerations in this regard from Ernesto Soberón, Director of Consular Affairs and Cuban Residents Abroad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- How does our Foreign Ministry assess the new measures of the US government aimed at confronting the irregular entry of Cuban emigrants and other countries in the region to that country?
We have maintained a consistent position in favor of regular, orderly, and safe migration between Cuba and the United States.
To that end, we have signed several bilateral agreements with the US since 1980 and have been zealous in following them.
Irregular emigration is risky, on many occasions, unfortunately, it costs lives and as a rule makes people victims of organized crime, traffickers, extortion and abuse in various forms.
We have alerted the US government for years about the risks of stimulating irregular emigration, with the validity of the Cuban Adjustment Act and the privileged and politically motivated treatment received by Cubans who arrive on US territory or its border.
-These new measures on the border may discourage irregular entry into the United States, but aren't there still deep causes of encouragement for emigration in the Cuban case? What else could the US government do?
The unjustified breach since 2017 of the commitment to grant a minimum of 20,000 visas per year and the also unjustified closure of visa processing at the US Embassy in Cuba, which was recently corrected, have caused an accumulation and significant growth of migratory potential, which It affects not only our two countries, but also transit countries.
The strengthening of the economic blockade since 2019 has aggravated this situation, since it is known that the worsening of socioeconomic conditions in any territory becomes one of the fundamental causes of emigration, and Cuban emigrants are no exception.
A more rational policy on the part of the United States and full compliance with the signed migration agreements demonstrated, in 2017, that it is possible to drastically reduce irregular, disorderly and insecure emigration of Cuban citizens to US territory.
A more normal migratory relationship, which includes temporary visits between the two countries, would also contribute to reducing the migratory potential and attempts to enter the US through irregular routes and practices; at the same time that it would favor communication between Cuban families.
-Is there any change in Cuba's immigration policy?
Cuba's immigration policy facilitates the travel of its nationals abroad and the return to Cuba, in a regular, orderly and safe manner. The sustained increase in travel, in one direction or another, before and after the Pandemic, confirms this.
(Cubadebate - Cubaminrex)