HAVANA, Cuba, CMC—The Government of Cuba has reaffirmed its willingness to comply with policies concerning irregular migration established in a bilateral agreement with the United States.
This was the outcome of talks held earlier this week in Washington DC, attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío Domínguez, who headed the Cuban delegation, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Eric Jacobstein, who led the U.S. delegation.
The Cuban delegation reaffirmed its willingness to comply with and respect the commitments established, as it has done to date, and reiterated its concern over the policies and measures to encourage irregular migration that remain in place as a result of a political decision by the U.S. government.
During the meeting, Cuba again denounced the negative impact that the U.S. economic blockade and its extreme reinforcement applied since 2019 exert on the socioeconomic conditions of the Cuban population. This factor constitutes an essential incentive for migration. In this regard, the following was highlighted: keeping the country on the so-called List of State Sponsors of Terrorism, the preferential treatment still received by Cubans who illegally entered U.S. territory, and the validity of the Cuban Adjustment Act.
The Cuban delegation also reiterated the importance of re-establishing the processing of non-immigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. This consular facility would prevent the movement to third countries of Cuban citizens interested in this type of visa.
Cuba also pointed to the importance of complying entirely with bilateral migration agreements and not selectively. It reaffirmed its willingness to continue the rounds of talks on migration issues with the United States.
and then 