Havana, Cuba – Cuba is calling on the United States to ease economic sanctions ahead of high-level migration talks scheduled to begin tomorrow in Washington D.C. The talks, which aim to establish safe, legal, and orderly migration channels between the two countries, are a crucial point of contact between the US and Cuba, particularly under the Biden administration.
This comes after a record surge of Cuban migration to the US in 2021, with US authorities reporting nearly half a million Cubans entering the country illegally. Cuba blames the economic crisis it faces, characterized by shortages, inflation, and blackouts, on US sanctions. Additionally, they argue that the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, granting Cubans special entry privileges, incentivizes emigration, particularly among young people.
The US, however, maintains that a lack of basic freedoms and human rights in Cuba, coupled with a state-controlled economy, is the root cause of the migration surge. The Biden administration has already taken steps to increase legal migration pathways for Cubans, including expanding visa access in Havana, facilitating family reunification, and implementing humanitarian parole programs.
Cuban Deputy Director for US Affairs, Johana Tablada, expressed frustration at the lack of progress towards achieving the goals of the talks. While acknowledging their importance as a communication channel, she maintained that US sanctions remain the biggest obstacle to a solution. Tablada argued that the Biden administration’s recent measures wouldn’t be sufficient to curb illegal migration as long as sanctions remain in place.