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US responsible for surge in illegal migration among Cubans: FM

Saturday, 13 March 2021 7:51 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 13 March 2021 8:09 AM ]

The file photo shows Cuban migrants stranded on a makeshift raft in the open sea about halfway between Key West, Florida, and Cuba. (By AP)

The Cuban government says Washington is stoking illegal migration among its residents by not processing visas in Havana and making it easy for Cubans to seek asylum.

Cuba’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that a move by the US embassy in Havana not to issue visas was the main reason behind illegal migration and had prompted Cuban nationals to resort to unconventional methods.

“Among the factors that constitute incentives for irregular migration are the suspension of the processing and granting of immigrant and non-immigrant visas at the United States Consulate in Havana,” the statement said.

The statement came in the wake of a spate of ill-fated clandestine attempts by Cuban immigrants to reach US shores by boat.

Last week, a group of Cubans risked their lives to reach the United States illegally by boat when their vessel capsized near the Bahamas and left some people floating in the water for more than 14 hours.

The Cuban foreign ministry said in a statement late on Thursday that while a Royal Bahamas Defense Force ship had rescued 12 people and recovered one body, several others have yet to be found, including women and two children.

Distraught relatives of the missing people have called on authorities to shed light on the situation of migrants after the capsizing of the boat off the Bahamas.

Thousands of Cubans used to attempt to immigrate to the United States by boat per year until former US President Barack Obama in 2017 ended a measure granting automatic residence to the Cubans who reached US soil.

Since then, the numbers have dropped but still hover around several hundred per year.

Obama announces end to 'wet foot, dry foot' policy for Cubans

The 20-year-old policy allowed any Cuban migrant who arrives in the US to become legal resident after a year.

The US Coast Guard has intercepted 87 people of Cuban origin in the Caribbean over the past six months, an increase in comparison with the 49 registered in the early 2020.

Cuba and the US severed relations in 1961 during the Cold War, two years after the two countries became ideological foes following the Cuban Revolution, which brought the late Fidel Castro to power.

The administration of former president Donald Trump reversed rapprochement initiated by his predecessor, Barack Obama, between Washington and Havana, and returned Cuba to the so-called blacklist of “state sponsors of terrorism.”

Cuba raps as ‘political opportunism’ US return of Havana to ‘terror sponsors’ list

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez has condemned the US’ “hypocritical and cynical” move to return Havana to its list of “state sponsors of terrorism”, describing it as political opportunism.

In the final days of his presidency, Trump blacklisted Cuba, accusing the country of “repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism” by harboring US fugitives as well as Colombian rebel leaders.

Incumbent US President Joe Biden, however, has promised that he would reverse Trump’s policies on Cuba.

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