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US resumes visa and consular services at Cuban embassies : NPR

A classic American convertible passes by the US Embassy as Cuban flags flutter at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune, a large stage on the Malecon seafront promenade in Havana, Cuba, July 26, 2015. increase.

Desmond Boylan/AP


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Desmond Boylan/AP


A classic American convertible passes by the US Embassy as Cuban flags flutter at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune, a large stage on the Malecon seafront promenade in Havana, Cuba, July 26, 2015. increase.

Desmond Boylan/AP

HAVANA — The US Embassy in Cuba resumed visa and consular services on Wednesday. This is the first time since 2017, when a spate of unexplained health incidents among diplomatic staff severely curtailed the US presence in Havana.

The embassy confirmed this week that it will begin processing immigrant visas, prioritizing permits for Cubans to reunite with their families in the United States, as well as diversity visa lotteries and more.

The reopening comes amid the largest exodus of migrants from Cuba in decades, opening up more legitimate avenues for Cubans and dialogue with the Cuban government despite historically strained relations. pressure the Biden administration to start

They are expected to issue at least 20,000 visas a year, but that is just a drop in the bucket of migration flows fueled by the intensifying economic and political crisis on the island.

In late December, U.S. officials reported 34,675 stops for Cubans at the Mexican border in November. This is his 21% increase from his 28,848 in October.

From month to month, the number is gradually increasing. Cubans are now her second-largest nationality after Mexicans at the border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

of increase in immigration This is due to complex factors, including economic, energy and political crises and deep dissatisfaction among Cubans.

While the majority of Cuban migrants fly to Nicaragua to the United States and cross overland at the U.S. border with Mexico, thousands more make the perilous voyage by sea. They travel ninety miles (90 miles) to the coast of Florida, often arriving with immigrants packed in rickety and precariously constructed boats.

Exodus from Cuba is also exacerbated by rising immigration to the United States from other countries such as Haiti and Venezuela, forcing the U.S. government to grapple with an increasingly complex situation at its southern border.

The renewal of visa operations at the embassy comes after a series of immigration negotiations and visits to Havana by US officials in recent months, and could also be a sign of a slow thaw between the two governments. I have.

After the U.S. delegation’s visit to Cuba, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement in November, “Participating in these talks will pursue constructive discussions with the Cuban government where appropriate to advance U.S. interests. It underscores our commitment to do so.”

This small step is a far cry from relations under President Barack Obama, who eased many Cold War-era sanctions during his tenure and made a historic visit to the island in 2016.

Visa and consular services were closed on the island in 2017 after embassy staff suffered a series of health incidents.

As a result, many Cubans who wanted to legally immigrate to the United States had to fly to places like Guyana before emigrating or reuniting with their families.

Relations between Cuba and the United States have always been tense, but tensions have risen following the closure of the embassy and the Trump administration’s tightening of sanctions against Cuba.

Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. eased some restrictions on money transfers and family trips from Miami to Cuba, among others, but the hopes of many in Cuba that President Biden will bring the island back to the “Obama days” have come down. did not reach.

Restrictions on tourist travel to Cuba and on imports and exports of many goods remain in place.

Tensions have also been heightened by the Cuban government’s harsh treatment of participants in the 2021 island protests, which saw constant criticism by the Biden administration, including heavy prison sentences for minors. is subject to

Cuban officials have repeatedly expressed optimism about negotiations with the United States and measures to resume visa services. Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Cosio said in November that it was a “mutual objective” for both countries to secure migrants through safe and legal channels.

However, Kosio also blamed US sanctions for the flight of tens of thousands of people from the island, stating that “policies intended to reduce the living standards of the population are undoubtedly the direct driver of migration. ” he said.

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/04/1146863107/the-u-s-is-reopening-visa-and-consular-services-at-embassy-in-cuba US resumes visa and consular services at Cuban embassies : NPR

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