Despite talks, U.S.-Cuba migration impasse continues

Despite talks, U.S.-Cuba migration impasse continues

U.S., Cuba meet in Washington to discuss migration
Thousands of Cubans still stranded in Central America
Cuban American National Foundation working on program to help them
BY MIMI WHITEFIELD
mwhitefield@miamiherald.com

While thousands of Cubans thwarted in their journey to the United States
remained stuck in Central America, the United States and Cuba met in
Washington on Monday for regularly scheduled migration talks.

Going into the biannual talks, Cuba made it clear that it thought U.S.
policies were acting as a stimulus for Cubans who travel to other Latin
American countries and then make their way north to the Mexican border
with the United States where they ask to be admitted under the Cuban
Adjustment Act. The Cubans said such policies encourage illegal
migration and violate the spirit and letter of 1996 migration accords
signed by the two countries.

In this Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 photo, a a Cuban migrant rests her feet
atop a pair of flip flops designed with an American flag motif. She was
sleeping inside the public restroom of the border control building in
Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica. Esteban Felix AP
The Cuban Adjustment Act allows Cubans — even those who arrive without
visas — to be admitted to the United States and become permanent
residents a year and a day after their arrival.

Alex Lee, deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere
affairs, and Josefina Vidal, the Cuban Foreign Ministry director general
for the United States, led their respective delegations.

During the talks, Cuban delegates expressed "profound concern over the
continued politicization of the migration issue." The Cuban side also
took issue with a parole program for Cuban medical professionals that it
called a "reprehensible practice" that encourages Cubans to abandon
their posts in third countries and come to the United States and the wet
foot/dry foot policy that allows Cubans who reach U.S. territory to
enter the country — regardless of whether they came with a visa or were
brought in by people smugglers.

As part of the 1996 migration accord, the United States "committed to
discontinue the practice of admitting all Cuban migrants arriving in
that territory through irregular ways in order to ensure a legal, safe
and orderly migration between both countries," the Cuban delegation said
in a statement.

Although the Cubans said the round was held in a "respectful and
professional atmosphere," it appeared that the two sides remained apart
on the root cause of the Central American migration crisis.

The Cuban delegation said the U.S. delegation "indicated that its
government does not have the intention to introduce changes in the
migration policy applied to Cuban citizens."

There was no immediate response from the U.S., but a State Department
spokesperson said earlier in the day that the United States planned to
propose how both sides could contribute to "combating smuggling
organizations that take advantage of Cuban migrants."

With a normalization process between the United States and Cuba now
underway, there are fears on the part of potential migrants that the
U.S. might change its policies. Since the new U.S.-Cuba relationship was
announced last December, there has been an increase in Cubans trying to
reach the United States.

As many as 3,000 Cubans are stranded at the Costa Rican border.
Nicaragua, a long-time ally of Cuba, blocked their passage from
neighboring Costa Rica on Nov. 15. Foreign ministers from countries that
belong to the Central American Integration System met Tuesday in El
Salvador to discuss the situation but the impasse continues.

Ecuador had been a favorite jumping off point for Cubans to begin their
journey northward because it didn't require Cubans to obtain visas. But
Educador announced Thursdaythat beginning Tuesday, Cubans would need to
get a visa before traveling to the South American country.

That set off rare public protests in Havana on Friday as hundreds of
angry Cubans who wanted visas gathered outside the Ecuadorian Embassy
and were told they would need to apply online. Disgruntled crowds also
gathered outside the Havana offices of Copa Airlines, fearing tickets
already purchased for future flights to Ecuador would not be honored
without a visa. On Saturday, some protesters laid down on Fifth Avenue,
near the Ecuadorean Embassy, to protest the new visa requirement.

Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño said Saturday on his Twitter
account that Cubans who purchased tickets to Ecuador prior to Nov. 26 —
the day the change was announced — would receive visas.

Ecuador said it changed its policy to protect Cubans making the risky
journey north from "unscrupulous people traffickers." Requiring a
tourism visa, the Foreign Ministry said, "doesn't close the gates to our
brothers and our brother Cubans" who still may apply for travel to Ecuador.

In Miami, the Cuban American National Foundation said Monday that it was
working on a program to help the Cubans stranded in Central America. It
is similar to the Foundation's Exodus program, which helped some 10,000
Cubans in various countries around the world in the 1990s after the
collapse of the Soviet Union, said Jorge Mas Santos, president of CANF.

The Foundation is working closely with the U.S. administration to try to
find a solution to the Central American problem, said Mas Santos at a
news conference. "It isn't easy," he said. "There are complications but
we will find a solution for our brothers."

He said CANF was trying to come up with a creative solution so the
Cubans wouldn't become "a burden" on the United States and on "the
people who pay taxes in this country."

Also taking part in the news conference was graffiti artist Danilo
Maldonado, known as El Sexto, who was released from Cuban jail on Oct.
20 and is on a visit to the United States. He emphasized the need to
come up with a solution for those marooned in Central America, but said
it was also important for Cubans to remain in Cuba to promote change there.

"They aren't alone and we're not going to leave them alone, but we can't
give out a prize for emigration. To leave, to escape can't be a solution
for Cuba," he said.

Maldonado was held for 10 months in Cuba without trial after being
accused of disrespect. He was arrested with two pigs that were painted
with the names "Fidel" and " Raúl," which he had hoped to use in a
performance art piece.

Nora Gámez Torres, Cuba reporter for El Nuevo Herald, contributed to
this report.

Source: Despite talks, U.S.-Cuba migration impasse continues | Miami
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