- During the current year, a significant setback in relations between Cuba and the United States has occurred.

- The announcements of June 16 in Miami made clear that U.S. government policy henceforth would not be to normalize bilateral ties, but rather to return to the old failed policy of intensifying the blockade and subversion against Cuba.

- The state of bilateral relations worsened significantly, based on U.S. decisions to substantially reduce the personnel at its embassy in Havana and to unilaterally, unfoundedly and arbitrary expel 17 officials of the Embassy of Cuba in Washington, under the pretext of alleged incidents that affected the health of some of its diplomats and their family members.

- The decisions of the U.S. government have negatively impacted the functioning of the Embassy of Cuba in Washington.

- The suspension of the granting of visas at the U.S. consulate, unprecedented since the opening of an office in Havana in 1977, has paralyzed the processing of the applications of Cuban citizens wishing to emigrate to or visit the United States.

- The first adverse effects are already being felt with the postponement of technical and cooperation meetings in various sectors. Many Cubans have been unable to attend cultural, sporting, scientific and academic events in the United States.

- However, the Cuban government has repeatedly reiterated its willingess to continue the respectful dialogue and cooperation with the U.S. government on matters of mutual interest, as well as the negotiation of pending bilateral issues, without impositions or preconditions.

- Cuba has taken concrete steps to maintain a civilized and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States, but it awaits the response of U.S. authorities.

- The interest and persistence of Cuban and U.S. companies have made it possible to bring to fruition some new businesses in priority sectors, such as transportation, equipment for infrastructure and agriculture, and tourism.

- Progress is being made in the negotiation of new agreements in other important sectors such as health, energy and biotechnology.

IN FIGURES:

• 22 agreements signed between Cuba and the United States since December 17, 2014.

• 4.305 billion dollars in losses between April 2016 and June 2017 due to the U.S. blockade policy, more than double the annual foreign investment needed to achieve economic development.

• 822.280 billion dollars of accumulated damages due to the blockade over almost six decades, according to the latest Cuban report presented to the UN.

• 579,288 U.S. citizens traveled to Cuba up until the end of November this year, representing growth of 248.7% comapared to the same 11 month period of 2016.

(Minrex)

Several thousand Cubans who left Cuba legally – and likewise entered a first destination country, from where they initiated irregular travel – find themselves at this time in an illegal situation in Central and South America, as they attempt to reach the Mexican border with the United States.

This irregular emigration is organized through networks of traffickers in persons operating in the region, responsible for acts of violence, extortion, harassment and other crimes, of which Cubans become victims in their attempt to reach the United States, after a dangerous journey of no less than 7,700 kilometers, crossing eight borders illegally.

The Government of the Republic of Cuba has expressed its concern and has maintained contact with the countries involved in the search for a rapid, adequate solution, as was indicated in the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Relations this past November 18.

Our country’s position on this issue was clearly expressed during the meeting of eight member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA), held November 24 in El Salvador, to which additionally invited were Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Cuba. Advocated there was a comprehensive solution to this situation, and the manipulation of the Cuban emigration issue by the United States was denounced.

All of these countries demanded the adoption of immediate, energetic measures to prevent illegal migratory movement through their territories, and expressed their opposition to the “wet foot-dry foot” policy, the Parole Program for Cuban Medical Professionals, and the Cuban Adjustment Act, which for political reasons encourage illegal, unsafe, disorderly emigration from Cuba, and discriminate against Latin American and Caribbean emigrants, especially unaccompanied boys and girls, who are deported and become the victims of abuse, family separation and the violation of human rights by U.S. authorities.

The increase in the number of Cuban citizens who, having traveled abroad legally, attempt to reach U.S. territory after irregularly passing through Latin American and Caribbean countries, is associated with totally unfounded speculation that, as a result of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, the migratory privileges enjoyed by Cubans in this country, in accordance with executive policies and current legislation, may be eliminated.

The so-called “wet foot-dry foot” policy and the Cuban Adjustment Act have been in effect in the United States for decades now, conceding Cuban citizens preferential migratory treatment which is not afforded any other person in the world, thus encouraging attempts to reach U.S. territory in an irregular manner, with the certainty that once they have arrived, they will be admitted automatically and immediately.

This is based on an exceptional, politicized and discriminatory focus with respect to immigrants from other nations in the region and the world, which is also incongruous with the existence of diplomatic relations, the process of dialogue underway between Cuba and the United States, and incompatible with the announced policy change toward the island.

It must be recalled that the United States government has historically used its migratory policy as a weapon against the Revolution, and has, for political reasons, encouraged emigration from Cuba, causing loss of human life, hijackings of boats and aircraft, the commission of violent criminal acts, the occurrence of migratory crises, and the theft of talent.

This demonstrates that the motivation of Cuban émigrés is fundamentally economic, as occurs in the majority of countries from which emigrants come.

In January of 2013, Cuba announced the updating of its migratory policy, which included measures to facilitate travel abroad for its citizens, as part of the implementation of the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines approved by the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba and the National Assembly of People’s Power. The implementation of these migratory regulations has proceeded in a normal fashion.

Over the last three years, almost half a million Cubans have traveled to other countries for private reasons, representing an increase of 81% as compared to the period 2010-2012. The principal destinations have been the United States, Mexico, Panama, Spain and Ecuador. These journeys have in their majority been for temporary stays to visit relatives, work for a period of time, or undertake other activities.

In this context, the migration of Cuban health care professionals constitutes a concern for the country. Specialties of such importance as anesthesiology, general surgery, intensive care, pediatrics, neurosurgery, nephrology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics and trauma, neonatology, and others have been seriously affected by the unplanned departure of vital medical personnel.

To acquire all the skills and knowledge demanded for the current scientific development of these highly specialized professionals, years of study and work experience are required, making their training in a short period of time impossible.

The government of the United States, which deprived Cuba of half of its doctors in the first years of the Revolution, established in 2006, during the administration of President George W. Bush, the Parole Program for Cuban Medical Professionals, the only one of its kind in the world, directed toward damaging our country’s international medical cooperation programs, and depriving Cuba and beneficiary countries of these vital, much-needed human resources.

It has the perverse objective of encouraging Cuban medical professionals to abandon their missions in other countries, actively facilitating their emigration through the use of U.S. embassies to promote this.

Additionally, the facilities offered by various countries, especially private clinics, to Cuban health personnel, promote the settling of this qualified workforce abroad, and networks devoted to the selection and financing of our professionals have been detected.

Since the triumph of the Revolution, it has been a priority of the Cuban government to guarantee high quality health services to the Cuban people, to which significant human and material resources have been devoted.

Cuba’s healthcare system is universal, free of charge and accessible to the entire population, despite the economic limitations we face, which are aggravated by the deprivations caused by the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States.

Given the necessity of guaranteeing our people efficient, high quality health care services, as well as mitigating the effects produced as a consequence of the selective, politicized migratory policy of the United States toward Cuba, and the growing non-planned contracting of Cuban doctors in other countries, a decision has been made to implement regulations established by Decree 306, October 11, 2012, regarding travel abroad, for private reasons, by medical professionals in various specialties, who perform activities of vital importance to the population’s health care services, and scientific-technical work.

This does not mean that specialist doctors can not travel or reside abroad, but rather that the date of their departure will be analyzed, taking into account the replacement of each professional, to allow for organization of the workforce to guarantee accessibility, quality, continuity and stability in the functioning of health care services.

The Ministry of Public Health is responsible for the implementation of this regulation, which will become effective as of December 7, 2015.

It is reiterated that healthcare professionals who have left the country in accordance with current migratory policies, be it for economic, family or professional interests, including those who are victims of deceptive policies which led to the abandonment of their mission and their country, may rejoin the Cuban health care system, if they so desire. They are guaranteed a placement similar to that previously occupied.

Additionally, as a contribution to the organization of current migration, and at the request of a number of regional governments, the government of the Republic of Ecuador has decided to reestablish the requirement of a visa for Cuban citizens traveling to this country, a measure which was announced November 26, to become effective December 1, 2015.

Other countries of transit have stated that they will adopt measures to assure adherence to the law, to protect their borders, and to energetically suppress trafficking networks and organized crime.

As has been reiterated on a number of occasions, and again proposed, to no avail, during the round of migratory talks held November 30 in Washington, the government of the Republic of Cuba, once again, demands the elimination of the “wet foot-dry foot” policy, the Parole Program for Cuban Medical Professionals, and the Cuban Adjustment Act, which are the fundamental cause of illegal emigration, trafficking in emigrants, and the irregular arrival to the United States of Cuban citizens who traveled abroad legally – in violation of the letter and spirit of migratory agreements signed by the two countries.

This would be consistent with the current bilateral context, would favor the national interests of both parties, and contribute to the normalization of migratory relations between Cuba and the United States.

The government of the Republic of Cuba reiterates its commitment to legal, orderly, safe emigration, and will continue to guarantee Cuban citizens the right to travel, emigrate, and return to the country, in accordance with the requirements of migratory legislation, if they so desire.

During the meeting, the two parties reviewed the functioning of Migratory Accords between the two countries, and discussed confronting illegal emigration. The Cuban delegation reiterated its serious concern regarding the ongoing politicized use of the migratory issue with respect to Cuba, by the United States government, the enforcement of the Cuban Adjustment Act, and, in particular, the implementation of the so-called “wet foot-dry foot” policy, which affords Cuban preferential treatment – unique in the world – admitting them immediately and automatically, regardless of the ways and means used to reach U.S. territory, even if they arrived in an irregular manner.

Cuba’s representatives insisted that this policy encourages illegal, unsafe and disorderly emigration, as well as trafficking in emigrants and irregular entrances into the U.S. from other countries by Cuban citizens who have legally left Cuba and likewise entered a first destination country, from which they continued in an irregular manner toward U.S. territory, becoming victims of networks trafficking in persons and organized crime, as has been recently evidenced by the situation created in Costa Rica and other countries in the region.

The Cuban delegation insisted that this policy violates the letter and the spirit of the Migration Accords in force, in which the U.S. government made a commitment to discontinue the practice of admitting all Cuban migrants arriving to their territory through irregular means, to ensure legal, safe and orderly migration between the two countries.

On the other hand, the United States delegation indicated that its government does not intend to introduce changes in current migration policy for Cuban citizens.

The Cuban delegation reaffirmed its rejection of the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program, established by the George W. Bush administration in 2006, with the purpose of encouraging Cuban doctors and other health personnel to abandon their missions in other countries and migrate to the United States. The Cuban delegation emphasized that this is a reprehensible practice meant to damage Cuba’s cooperation programs, and deprive Cuba and many other countries of vital human resources.

The Cuban delegation emphasized that the ‘wet foot-dry foot’ policy, as well as the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program, are inconsistent with the present bilateral context, hamper the normalization of migratory relations between Cuba and the United States, and create problems for other countries of the region.

During the round of talks, which was held in a respectful and professional atmosphere, other aspects related to migratory relations were discussed, including compliance with agreements currently in effect; the issuance of migrant and temporary visas; as well as actions taken on both sides to address illegal migration, human trafficking and document fraud.

The two delegations agreed that positive outcomes had been achieved during the bilateral technical meeting on migratory fraud held in March, 2015, in Havana, and agreed to hold such a meeting again next year in Washington.

The Cuban delegation expressed its satisfaction with an April video-conference regarding a new communications procedure between Cuba’s Border Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard and confirmed the holding of another technical meeting between the two services in Havana, in December of 2015.

The Cuban delegation expressed its willingness to continue these talks and invited a U.S. delegation to travel to Havana during the first part of 2016 to hold another round.

Washington, November 30, 2015

During the meeting, the two parties will review progress made thus far on Migration Agreements between the countries and discuss cooperation to combat irregular immigration. The Cuban delegation will reiterate its concern regarding the U.S. “wet-foot-dry-foot” policy which encourages illegal immigration to that country and violates the spirit and norms of current accords; as well as its rejection of the Cuban Parole Program for Medical Professionals – which deprives Cuba of vital resources and affects cooperation efforts with other countries – and the Cuban Adjustment Act.

The Cuban delegation will highlight its concern over the rise, a result of the aforementioned policies, of illegal, unsafe and disorderly emigration of citizens who legally leave Cuba and arrive in a first destination country, from where they continue to travel in an irregular fashion to the United States, becoming victims of trafficking networks and organized crime, and creating situations such as that facing Cubans currently amassed in Costa Rica and other countries of the region.

(Cuba­min rex)

The Cuban delegation was led by Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, the Foreign Ministry’s director general for the United States, while the U.S. State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for South America and Cuba, Edward Alex Lee, presided the U.S. delegation.

The creation of the Bilateral Commission was announced by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and Secretary of State John Kerry, during the latter’s visit to Havana this past August 14.

(Taken from CubaMinrex)