Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, Mar 14th. - On the background and treatment of Cubans who have migrated to the United States, in the controversial context created by the current administration’s measures for migrants, Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, spoke exclusively this Wednesday for the Round Table.
The diplomat and expert in bilateral relations stressed that the fact that the United States sees migration as a priority is logical, since it is a country made up of migrants who came from Europe and other parts of the world. "They shaped what is today the United States".
He recalled that migrants have played and still play a key role in the country’s industry, agriculture and services. It is estimated that 20% of the labour force in these sectors are people who were not born in the US. Therefore, "it is natural that migration should be a priority for Washington".
In addition, he stressed that on the international scene migration is a subject that has evolved greatly in recent decades. As the gap between developed and developing countries widens, it is logical that more people migrate north from the so-called global South. It is a phenomenon seen in Europe and North America.
"For Cuba, the fact that the United States gives priority attention to the issue of migration is important," said Cossío, adding that "in recent decades the United States has used migration policy as a tool of destabilization against Cuba".
"Originally, to drain us of professionals, to steal the country’s talents, and then for destabilizing purposes, by denying visas or refusing to process visas for Cubans, but at the same time encouraging them to use irregular routes to reach the United States. This led to several crises," he said.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that there are migration agreements between Cuba and the United States, which respond to the mutual commitment to ensure that migration is regular, safe and orderly.
"There is a large presence of Cubans in the United States," said Cossío, pointing out that everything related to migration has an impact on our country.
He explained that the wide presence of Cubans in the United States includes people who, even though they were born there, identify themselves as Cuban because of family heritage. But it also includes people who have acquired US citizenship or who have acquired temporary residence, to others who do not have a legal status recognized by the authorities, and some who are in limbo because they have not received their assimilation in the United States and run the risk of being expelled. Many of them are called "illegal" by the US.
However, he said, in recent times the large number of Cubans who are not US citizens and do not reside in that country are people who have left Cuba on a regular basis. "When carrying passport and ticket, for the purposes of Cuba they are regular travellers".
He commented that people "become irregular migrants when they try to travel to the United States illegally through the territory of third countries," for example, through Central America or Mexico. "When they arrive in the United States and are not granted an accepted legal status, it is then that the United States begins to call them 'illegal'. However, this is a specific reality of the United States, since they decide how to call these people. From Cuba, are not considered illegal. They legally leave the country with a passport and a ticket," he said.
In this regard, he noted that "many of these people, after leaving Cuba, manage to reach the United States as part of trafficking operations or are victims of these operations, which in their vast majority are financed and organized from the territory of the United States".
"There are estimates that indicate that, for a Cuban who emigrates regularly through the airport, the operation to reach the United States can cost between seven and fifteen thousand dollars, and there are even those who speak of eighteen thousand dollars per person. If we multiply that by two hundred thousand or two hundred fifty thousand people, we are talking about multimillion-dollar operations operating from US territory, where the organization and funding is located," he described.
The deputy minister then added that this is a topic that has been raised in immigration talks and at the diplomatic level with the United States, as well as in practical exercises between the law enforcement agencies of both countries. "It’s a topic we’ve dealt with several times over the years, but obviously there is no willingness on the part of the US government to attack the source of that traffic, which passes through Central America and Mexico," he said.
During the dialogue with journalist Arleen Rodríguez Derivet, it was recalled that the Cuban, unlike other Latin Americans, when he reaches the border, is usually covered by certain terms that have historically allowed it to receive privileged treatment and enter the United States with ease. This has led many Cubans to believe that there is an automatic privilege to be admitted and adjust their status relatively quickly.
However, there is now talk of mass deportations, a term that has generated much fear and has been widely spread. It was even mentioned at some point that 30,000 people could be sent to the Guantánamo Naval Base, although the US military has recently denied that this is a suitable place for irregular migrants.
In this regard, Cossío stressed that "the reality is that the relationship between Cuba and the United States has been difficult in many respects, including the treatment of mass deportations".
"This term of 'mass deportations' is also being used in the case of Cuba. However, we have migration agreements with the United States, both with Republican and Democratic governments, which seek to solve the problems of irregular, disorderly and insecure migration. These agreements include commitments such as the issuance of a minimum of twenty thousand annual visas for Cubans, the return to Cuba of persons intercepted on the high seas and deportation flights for those who the United States considers have an irregular stay in its territory." said.
According to the deputy minister, "these agreements have worked for years, and recently we have received monthly return flights of Cubans that the United States has not accepted in their country. These individuals are considered 'unacceptable' and are returned to Cuba under established procedures.
"Now, with the threat of mass deportations, especially in the case of Cubans, it is important to consider that many of these migrants were forced to emigrate because of difficult economic conditions in Cuba, Exacerbated by the US economic blockade. It is logical that when living conditions in one country are depressed, a proportion of the population will seek to migrate elsewhere. In addition, historically, the United States has received Cubans with a privileged treatment, offering them protection and facilities to settle on its territory", he said.
Cossío stressed that "it is contradictory and cruel that we are now talking about expelling people who have formed families, have jobs and property in the United States, after having been encouraged to emigrate by the same American policies. It seems absurd and unfair to us that the United States is threatening to deport this large number of Cubans on a massive scale, especially when there are migratory agreements that have worked well in the past".
"Under these agreements, the United States has returned tens of thousands of Cubans to Cuba since the mid-1990s, but always within a framework of established rules and conditions. Our country is open to accepting returns, but always within the agreed terms and taking into account history and circumstances, even though the United States continues to implement policies of economic aggression and other types against Cuba", said the diplomat.
At another point in his interview, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs referred to the fact that, during periods of rapprochement and understanding between Cuba and the United States, irregular migration decreased significantly.
"The United States can review the figures: 2017 and 2018 were the years with the lowest number of Cuban irregular migrants entering its territory. This occurred when the 'dry feet, wet feet' policy was initially being applied, which was adopted as part of an agreement in January 2017. However, this policy was derailed when the US government decided to stop complying with migration agreements, including visa processing in Cuba," he said.
Cossío stressed that "for these agreements to be effective, as demonstrated in that period, it is necessary to fulfill several commitments: establish a legal way for the Cubans to emigrate, return those who are intercepted trying to arrive irregularly, and conduct deportation flights regularly to repatriate those who are considered inadmissible in the United States. This should be done at the time when their irregular status is detected, not years later".
In addition, "there is the non-immigrant visa, which was granted for a time and allowed many people to travel, spend a period in the United States and then return to Cuba. This helped to reduce irregular migration".
"We are talking about thousands of Cubans who have emigrated in order to obtain residence and be able to live between the two countries, spending part of their time in the United States and part in Cuba, or simply visiting family members and friends. However, since 2017, the United States has kept processing and granting visas for temporary visits closed," he said.
During the TV show, both interlocutors mentioned that in the media of South Florida, both traditional and social networks, there are American politicians -many of whom pretend to be Cubans but act against the interests of Cuba, constantly threatening severe immigration measures. These politicians talk about emigration as if Cuba would expel its citizens due to the "failure of socialism". However, today they are seen threatening the Cubans with mass deportations, which has generated a state of despair in the Cuban community. Many are consulting lawyers and looking for information on social media to find out what the future holds.
On this point, the Deputy Minister said that a climate of harassment against Cubans has been generated, exacerbated by statements from politicians who insist that socialism is a failure, but they do not give Cuba the opportunity to prove otherwise if the economic blockade is lifted.
He commented that the current US Secretary of State has been particularly vocal, threatening resident Cubans to lose their immigration status on the charge that they lied when entering the country. "This is hypocritical, as it has historically been the policy of the US government to accept Cubans who claim to have a 'credible fear' of returning to Cuba. Now, blaming these people for lying is a form of intimidation that prevents them from visiting their relatives in Cuba, many of whom cannot obtain visas to travel to the United States".
"These threats affect not only Cubans who have established their lives in the United States, but also those who wish to maintain ties with their country of origin. It is cruel that, after having been encouraged to emigrate by US policies, they are now being threatened with mass deportations and the loss of their legal status," he said.
Medical collaboration under threat
As for the Cuban medical collaboration, it is important to note that this has been one of the most valued professions and a symbol of international solidarity since 1963. While other countries send bombs, Cuba sends doctors. However, the latest measures promoted by the United States seek to attack this collaboration, affecting not only Cuba’s revenues but also the health situation in several countries of the world.
On this subject, Cossío said that "the United States has begun to implement a set of aggressive measures against Cuba, many of which are not publicly announced, suggesting a preference for acting in the dark. These measures seek to curb Cuba’s sources of economic income, cut its links with other countries and limit international cooperation, including medical programs".
He stressed that "the Cuban medical collaboration has benefited more than 60 countries, with over 12,000 health professionals providing services abroad. In many cases, these doctors are the only source of health care in remote communities".
"Accusing Cuba of 'human trafficking' or 'slavery' is false, since Cuban professionals receive salaries in Cuba and stipends in the countries where they work, as well as providing their services voluntarily," he said.
The deputy minister stressed that "the United States is committing a crime by attempting to deprive these communities of quality health services, violating the human right to access health".
He denounced that "these actions are part of a broader strategy to attack Cuba and strengthen the economic blockade, which affects not only the Cubans but also the communities that depend on their aid".
Link with migration
Regarding the relationship of the Government of the Greater Antilles with their emigration, Cossío commented that in recent years there has been a rapprochement, under the criterion that these people still form part of the Cuban population.
"The Cuban community abroad is part of us, and includes children and grandchildren of Cubans who were born in other countries but are considered descendants of this land," he said.
He stated that those who have emigrated in recent years possess great intellectual capital, and many support important processes of national development.
"The Cuban government is making an effort in this regard that is contrary to that of the United States, which is trying to suppress the possibility of these people having close ties with their country and even trying to restrict their right to travel to their land," he said.
He recalled that American society itself is in favor of a closer relationship with Cuba, which it does not interpret as a threat.
"Faced with this, we wonder what the politicians of the United States fear when they intend to break the link with the Cuban family, or cooperation with this country. Perhaps the root of it all is that they failed to make a nation’s life impossible for more than 60 years," he said.
The Deputy Minister stressed that on the Cuban side there is willingness to dialogue with the US government, from a position of respect, and without renouncing the right to self-determination.
"American politicians have had a traditional inability to understand that Cuba is an independent state, but we made that clear in all scenarios," he said.
He stated that the immediate objective of the anti-Cuban politicians is to make life on the island as difficult as possible by cutting off access to trade, finance, etc., In order to depress the quality of life of the population and use it as a hostage and spearhead to overthrow the Government.
"These politicians have historically manipulated the immense power of that nation to use it against a small country, and seek direct confrontation with the United States.
"Among the excuses invented by them for that conflict could be the threat of an uncontrolled migratory flow from the Caribbean country, the legend of Chinese military bases in Cuba or the thousands of Cuban soldiers in Venezuela, which no one ever saw," he said
He pointed out that these people profit from fallacies, and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to confuse, deceive and distort the truth.
He stressed the existence of surveys applied to the US population that mostly reflect a willingness to improve relations between the two countries. (Text and Photo: Cubadebate)
