HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuban and U.S. officials held a meeting in Havana on Tuesday to discuss migration, marking the second such meeting this year. Both countries are struggling to address the surging flow of Cubans heading north to the United States.
In 2022, the United States, the top destination for Cuban migrants, renewed talks with Cuba and has since expanded legal pathways to migration for Cubans. This includes increased visa access in Havana, family reunification, and humanitarian parole programs designed to reduce illegal migration.
However, Cuban vice foreign minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio expressed that the issue will persist until the United States eases sanctions on the island. Cuba attributes the sanctions to the severe impact on its already-struggling state-run economy.
Following the talks, de Cossio told reporters, “For the United States, the priority of destabilizing Cuba continues to take precedence over its interest in protecting its borders in terms of migration.”
The U.S. contends that the sanctions are necessary to advance human rights and fundamental liberties in Cuba. Additionally, it claims to make exceptions for humanitarian purposes.
In a brief statement, the U.S. State Department noted that the Tuesday talks were “consistent with our interest in fostering family reunification and promoting greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.”
Recently, Cubans, along with tens of thousands of individuals from various Latin American and Caribbean nations, have crossed into the U.S. via Mexico. This has raised concerns among officials in U.S. border cities and led to delays in trade.
(Reporting by Nelson Acosta; editing by Dave Sherwood and Leslie Adler)
