Nicosia, Cyprus, August 6, 2026.- The Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Cyprus, Rubén Pino Martínez, was received this Thursday -on a courtesy visit- by the Head of Migration and International Protection of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr. Nicholas A. Ioannides, at the headquarters of the said deputy ministry.
During the fruitful meeting, the Cuban diplomat thanked Nicholas A. Ioannides for the warm welcome, especially at this busy time and amidst a tight schedule full of various commitments within the government program. Pino Martínez also expressed his gratitude for the repeated support and solidarity that the government and people of Cyprus have shown to Cuba over many years, for their firm stance against the blockade imposed by the United States, and for Cyprus's backing of the lifting of that unjust and criminal policy.
The diplomat was able to fill him in on the current situation in Cuba, regarding the energy blockade and the collective punishment that the largest of the Antilles is currently experiencing; the same country that today cannot receive more than 7,000 containers held up in various ports across the Caribbean, amidst so many urgent needs, due to the restrictive and unilateral measures imposed on Cuba and third countries, stemming from that monstrosity of a genocidal blockade.
The exchange also allowed the Cuban ambassador to update his Cypriot host on the recent approval of Cuba's new migration system, since May 2026, with the entry into force of the new Migration, Foreigners, and Citizenship Laws, along with their respective regulations, as part of the comprehensive update of the national legal framework; on this occasion, he reiterated his willingness to explore any avenues of collaboration in these matters between the relevant institutions of both countries.
For his part, Deputy Minister A. Ioannides expressed his satisfaction at receiving an ambassador from a friendly and close country like Cuba, reaffirmed that Cyprus will maintain its stance in favor of respecting human rights in all countries, and expressed his hope that Cuba can soon overcome this difficult situation. He didn't hesitate to explain that the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection has only existed for two years, and that it was created by the Cypriot government to face and manage the heavy waves of migration the island receives from the eastern Mediterranean region.
Both authorities capped the meeting with the willingness to keep in touch and to reiterate their mutual interest in identifying areas of common collaboration based on similar bilateral proposals.
Embassy of Cuba in Cyprus.