HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba announced on Monday its intention to urge the U.S. to ease sanctions and reconsider special treatment for Cuban migrants entering its territory illegally, ahead of scheduled migration talks to commence on Tuesday in Washington.
These semiannual meetings, which resumed in 2022 after a suspension during Donald Trump’s presidency, coincide with a notable influx of around half a million Cubans illegally entering the United States beginning in 2021, according to U.S. authorities.
Cuba currently grapples with a profound economic crisis marked by shortages of essential goods, soaring inflation, and power outages.
The primary objective of the talks is to facilitate safe, legal, and orderly migration between the two nations.
Johana Tablada de la Torre, deputy director for U.S. affairs in Cuba’s foreign ministry, expressed frustration over the persistent challenges in achieving these objectives. She underscored the talks’ significance as one of the few points of contact under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Tablada emphasized during a press conference in Havana that the bilateral migration situation is largely influenced by the blockade (sanctions).
Cuba’s Communist government has consistently attributed the island’s economic constraints to U.S. sanctions and criticized the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, which grants special entry privileges to Cubans and provides support upon their arrival, for incentivizing youth emigration.
The United States, as the primary destination for Cuban migrants, argues that Cuba’s lack of civil liberties, human rights violations, and state-controlled economy are driving factors behind the emigration of its citizens.
The Biden administration has expanded legal avenues for Cuban migration, including visa accessibility in Havana, family reunification initiatives, and humanitarian parole programs aimed at curbing illegal migration.
However, Tablada contended that these measures would not effectively address the underlying issues as long as sanctions remain in effect.
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