U.S. and Cuban Officials Meet in D.C. | September 19, 2023
This week’s Top Stories
High-level US-Cuba talks in D.C.
Cuba hosts G77+ summit in Havana
Continued coverage
Cuba issues conflicting statements on use of its citizens in Ukraine war
Femicides in Cuba on the rise at an “alarming rate”
Brazil and Cuba strengthen ties, Brazil’s President Lula visits Cuba after 9 years
The views and opinions expressed by authors are their own and articles do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of CDA.
This week, in Cuba news…
U.S.-CUBA RELATIONS
American and Cuban officials meet ahead of Cuban leader's trip to UN meeting in New York; High-level US-Cuba talks yield no progress on top disputes, Cuban official says
Last week, U.S. and Cuban officials met in Washington, D.C. to discuss “issues of bilateral interest” prior to Cuba’s President Miguel-Díaz Canel’s upcoming address to the United Nations General Assembly, The Miami Herald reports. The high-level talks, led by U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols and Cuba’s Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío, concerned migration, human rights, and other issues of bilateral interest. In an interview with Reuters, Minister Fernández de Cossío reported that the talks effectively addressed matters concerning migration and cooperation in law enforcement, health, science and technology, but failed to make progress on major sticking points including the embargo and Cuba’s inclusion on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) List. According to Minister Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s government welcomes the progress made on migration and other national security issues, however, those issues are “ not the defining factor, [or] the overriding issue” preventing progress with broader U.S.-Cuba relations. Minister Fernández de Cossío highlighted the U.S. embargo on Cuba and the island’s position on the SSOT as hurdles to normalization, before criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for upholding those policies which “[hurt] the Cuban population as a whole” despite disagreeing with them before entering into office. When asked about the status of a possible review of Cuba’s position on the SSOT, Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Matthew Miller disclosed that no decisions have been reached as of yet.
Cuba was re-added to the State Sponsors of Terrorism List in January 2021 by the Trump administration and its status on the list has been maintained by the Biden administration. Cuba’s inclusion on the SSOT severely limits foreign investment, creates additional obstacles to delivering humanitarian aid, and also impacts students and academics in Florida due to a 2006 Florida statute which prohibits the use of public funds for travel to countries on the SSOT. Cuba may be removed from the SSOT via a formal review process. To learn more about the SSOT and its implications for the Cuban people, read CDA’s FAQ on the SSOT here.
Updates on Cuban Migration to the US
Click here for data concerning Cuban migration to the United States, including total Cuban migration to the US and the number of Cubans interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard in Fiscal Year 2023.
Immigration turns away 3,500 Cubans at Mexico border since October (Spanish)
Since Fiscal Year 2023 began in October 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials have turned away more than 3,500 Cubans at the U.S.-Mexico Border, El Nuevo Herald reports. The majority of Cuban migrants attempted entry via Laredo, Texas, followed by El Paso, Texas, Tucson, Arizona, and San Diego, California.
El Nuevo Herald points out that while the number of Cubans rejected at the southern border in FY 2023 is significant, it’s considerably lower when viewed in proportion to the 15,410 Cubans denied entry in all of FY 2017. Following President Barack Obama’s termination of the “wet foot/dry foot” policy, which provided Cuban migrants who arrived on dry land in U.S. territory a fast-track to a visa, there has been a substantial decline in the influx of Cuban immigrants. After the removal of the “wet foot, dry foot,” policy in January 2017, the Obama administration made a deal with Cuba’s government under which Cuba agreed to accept Cuban nationals who arrived irregularly by air, land, and sea in the US, allowing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to work under an expedited removal process.
Cubans are still eligible for an expedited path to U.S. residency in comparison to other nationalities under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA), which permits Cubans who enter the US legally to apply for permanent residency after a year and a day of living in the country. However, as of last week, the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals decided that thousands of recent Cuban arrivals who entered the US through the US-Mexico border and were released with a conditional parole known as the I-220A immigration document are now ineligible to receive permanent residency under the CAA. The ruling affects the majority of recent Cuban arrivals: according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), there have been over 440,000 encounters with Cuban nationals at U.S. borders since March 2020.
IN CUBA
'They are killing us': Murders of women in Cuba are growing at an alarming rate
Reporting from independent civil society groups in Cuba reveal there have been 59 femicides reported in Cuba so far in 2023, The Miami Herald reports. The number of femicides reported in Cuba so far in 2023 has nearly surpassed the total number of women murdered for gender-related reasons throughout 2022 and 2021 combined, which stood at 34 and 36 respectively. In the month of June alone, there were at least 12 femicides, making it the deadliest month for Cuban women this year. Independent Cuban feminist groups, including YoSíTeCreo, or “Yes I Believe You,” the Cuban Women’s Network, and Alas Tensas, among others, monitor and report femicides in Cuba in the absence of reliable government reporting. According to Alas Tensas Gender Observatory, “the most dangerous place for women is their own home,” as a large number of femicide perpetrators are the victim’s partners or ex-partners. The groups also estimate the number of femicides to be even higher than their reports show.
Independent Cuban feminist groups are advocating for a comprehensive law against gender-based violence, which would include laws against femicide, in order to “prevent them and establish protocols,” as stated by Cuban journalist and feminist activist Marta María Ramírez. According to the independent Women’s Network of Cuba, a comprehensive law against gender-based violence would facilitate tracking the number of femicides, coordinating health care for victims, reporting killings, and coordinating the appropriate legal response, among other benefits. In June, the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) presented an initiative called the Gender Equality Observatory (OCIG), which was tasked with compiling months of comprehensive statistical data separated by gender, to Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel and others at the island’s Capitol. The initiative compiles data from Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), Cuba’s 2022 National Occupation Survey (ENO), and the National Health Survey from 2022, to present information on several issues facing women in Cuba including gender-based homicides committed against women over the last 12 months, the percentage of women employed in different sectors of the workforce, and common health problems related to gender. However, concerns of inefficiency and an underreporting of gender-based violence on the island remain. According to independent activist groups, the Observatory “fails to report targeted homicides of women,” reporting only half of the 36 victims confirmed by independent reporting in 2022 because “it only lists cases where attackers have already been tried and sentenced.”
The activist groups are also calling for Cuba’s government to allocate resources toward the growing number of missing women and to develop shelters for women in need, such as those who are unsafe in their own homes, among other issues.
The fight for the implementation of a comprehensive law against gender-based violence on the island is not new. In April, a dozen independent Cuban feminist groups, including the Cuban Women’s Network, Alas Tensas, and YoSíTeCreo, signed a letter urging Cuban authorities to approve a comprehensive Gender Violence law, or “a mechanism that consists of establishing measures to prevent and eradicate behaviors that promote gender violence, along with protection protocols for survivors.” Discourse surrounding a law against femicide in particular occurred ahead of the ratification of the island’s new Penal Code, receiving support from Mariela Castro Espín, Director of Cuba’s National Center for Sex Education’s (CENESEX) Director and daughter of former leader Raúl Castro, but not from FMC. The proposal was later rejected by the Cuban National Assembly, meaning that femicide is not a punishable crime under the new Penal Code. However, Cuba’s new Penal Code, which came into effect in December 2022, as well as its new Families Code, which passed in September 2022, increased penalties for cases of gender-based violence, domestic violence, homicide, extreme violence, and terrorism. Since introducing penalties for gender-based violence, Cuba’s Supreme Court has sentenced two men to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of the murders of their female partners. Still, family members of victims of gender-based violence have reported leniency in the sentencing of men found guilty of the murders of their female partners despite the changes to prison terms. The uptick in femicides on the island have reignited debate over the legal framework’s treatment of gender-based violence in Cuba, including the limits of Cuba’s new Penal Code and Families Code.
To learn more about women in Cuba, including the current discussion and treatment of gender-based violence, the effects of Cuba’s migratory and economic crises on Cuban women’s lives on the island, women in the labor force and Cuba’s care crises, and more, read CDA’s interview with Cuban experts Ailynn Torres Santana and Tamarys L. Bahamonde here.
CUBA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
G77+China summit in Cuba seeks to strengthen voice of 'global South'; G77 and China meet in Cuba to discuss challenges facing developing nations (Spanish)
This weekend, Cuba hosted the two-day Summit of the G77+China, or Group of 77 and China, in Havana, an international gathering focused on addressing the various political and economic challenges confronted by developing nations, France24 reports. The G77+China is a coalition of 134 United Nations (UN) member states that prioritizes the economic development of its membership, consisting predominantly of developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, with China as an ally rather than a formal member. The summit’s central themes concerned science and technology, however, conversation focused heavily on challenging the international system, with NPR News reporting that “geopolitics ended up taking center stage.” Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel opened the summit on Friday calling for “a new economic world order” amidst a “multidimensional crisis” disproportionately impacting developing countries. President Díaz-Canel also called upon the group to join in fighting against unilateral sanctions against G77+China members, such as the U.S. embargo on Cuba. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who was also in attendance at the Summit, joined President Díaz-Canel in calling for a more equitable international system, specifically one which is “more representative and responsive to the needs of developing economies.” The summit was also attended by the presidents of Colombia, Gustavo Petro; Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, as well as Chinese Communist Party Official Li Xi, among other high-ranking officials.
The Summit culminated in the creation of the Havana Declaration, which served as a sign of solidarity amongst developing nations, called “for a more inclusive global financial system,” and designated September 16 as the Day of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Global South. Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez described the declaration as “progressive, universally applicable, positive, and constructive,” in service of catering to the interests of developing nations and promoting their right to development within an equitable international system.
Cuba currently serves as president of the G77+China, a one-year position which it began in January. Founded in 1964 by nations from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the Group of 77 (G77) came together “as a coalition with the goal of promoting their shared economic interests and bolstering their collaborative negotiating power within the United Nations.” Over the years, this coalition has evolved to address contemporary challenges, and its summits have become forums for addressing critical political and economic issues confronting developing nations amid the ongoing global systemic crisis.
Cuba issues conflicting statements on use of its citizens in Ukraine war; Cuban diplomat: government will not stop its citizens from fighting for Russia in Ukraine
Days after vehemently condemning mercenarism in the context of the recently uncovered human trafficking network recruiting Cuban nationals to join Russian military forces, Cuba’s government has issued conflicting statements regarding its view of Cuban citizens’ participation in Russia’s war in Ukraine, Reuters reports. Last Thursday, Cuba’s ambassador to Russia, Julio Antonio Garmendia Peña, told Russian news agency Ria that Cuba’s government has “nothing against Cubans who just want to sign a contract and legally take part in this operation with the Russian army” but opposes the illegal human trafficking recruitment network itself. Ambassador Garmendia referred to the Cubans who joined Russian military forces as “swindlers” rather than “mercenaries,” contradicting the initial statement made by Cuban authorities. In a statement on September 4, Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) directly rejected mercenarism, stating, “Cuba has a firm and clear historical position against mercenarism, and it plays an active role in the United Nations in rejection of the aforementioned practice.” Hours after Mr. Garmendia’s comment aired, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez issued a statement on the social media platform “X” contradicting Ambassador Garmendia’s claims, stating, “The unequivocal and unswerving position of the Cuban government, in accordance with its national legislation, is contrary to the participation of Cuban citizens in conflicts of any sort and against mercenarism and trafficking in persons.” The discrepancy in Minister Rodríguez and Ambassador Garmendia’s claims has not been addressed. A spokesman for Cuba’s embassy in Washington, D.C. told The Miami Herald that Minister Rodríguez’s statement represented Cuba’s official position.
As CDA previously reported, last week, 17 people were charged and arrested with “alleged human trafficking and mercenarism” for their involvement in recruiting Cuban nationals, both in Russia and on the island, to fight on behalf of Russia in its war against Ukraine. Cuban officials have stated that those allegedly involved in the trafficking ring could face sentences of 30 years to life in prison or the death penalty depending on the severity and type of crime. Section 8 article 135.1 of Cuba’s Penal Code stipulates that mercenarism is not permitted under any circumstances and individuals found to have participated in such activities are subject to sentences of 30 years to life in prison or the death penalty.
On September 4, Cuba’s government reported it had uncovered and was working to “neutralize and dismantle” the human trafficking network allegedly recruiting Cuban nationals to join Russian military forces in Ukraine. News of the alleged human trafficking ring comes amidst increased efforts by Russia to strengthen its presence in Ukraine, where its forces have endured significant casualties, and follow multiple reports of Cubans joining the Russian army made earlier this year. According to AP News, foreign nationals may enlist in Russia’s military after signing a contract with the Defense Ministry and, as of September 2022, are eligible for an expedited path to citizenship after serving for one year. Cuba has not commented on who is behind the trafficking network or specify the number of individuals affected. According to CNN’s Havana-based correspondent, Patrick Oppman, “Cuba has not accused its ally, Russia, of being involved and it is unclear who these recruiters work for.” Russia has not commented on Cuba’s claims and the claims have not been independently verified.
Brazil's president calls U.S. economic embargo on Cuba 'illegal,' condemns terrorist list label; Brazilian leader Lula rekindles ties with Cuba at G77 summit in Havana
In the latest sign of warming relations, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva strongly denounced both “[the U.S.] illegal economic embargo” on Cuba, and its inclusion on the U.S. List of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) during Saturday’s opening remarks for the G77+China summit in Havana, Reuters reports. President Lula’s attendance at the summit marks the first trip to Cuba by a Brazilian President in nine years. In his address to the summit, President Lula asserted Brazil’s stance against “unilateral coercive measure,” calling Cuba a “victim” of the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and regarded Cuba as “an advocate for fairer global governance.” During President Lula’s trip to Havana, he also met with Cuba’s President Miguel-Díaz Canel and signed three agreements to collaborate with Cuba in the development of vaccines and medications targeting conditions such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Brazil’s Minister of Health, Nísia Trinidade, highlighted that the countries will resume their binational health committee wherein Cuba will contribute “state-of-the-art” biotech and healthcare acumen and Brazil will contribute large-scale manufacturing capabilities. The restoration of political and trade ties with Cuba opens up new economic opportunities for both nations, with particular focus on Brazil’s agriculture and manufacturing sectors, and Cuba’s healthcare and biotech industries.
President Lula also reportedly revisited conversations surrounding Cuba’s debt with Brazil, loaned for the construction of Cuba’s Mariel port and estimated to be over $500 million. As of last Saturday, Brazil and Cuba are considering training Cuban technicians in the use of satellite monitoring systems for disaster prevention and agricultural support.
Prior to President Lula’s return to the presidency, Brazil and Cuba had strained relations in recent years. Following the impeachment of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff in September 2016, Cuba’s government stated that it “strongly reject[ed] the parliamentary and judicial coup d’état” that removed her from office and proceeded to withdraw the Cuban ambassador in Brasilia in protest. Under Ms. Rousseff, Brazil provided economic aid to Cuba, including loans to fund the expansion of the Port of Mariel. Brazil-Cuba relations continued to be strained under the presidency of former-President Jair Bolsonaro, who supported the U.S. economic embargo. Normalization efforts began after President Lula returned to office in January 2023, with both countries reinstating diplomatic representation in their respective capitals. President Lula has also promised to resume the Mais Medicos program, suspended under President Bolsonaro, which sends thousands of doctors, most of them Cuban, to provide medical care in underserved rural areas.
RECOMMENDED READINGS & VIEWINGS
Current Cuban economic crisis: a return to the nineties? (Spanish), Glenda Boza Ibarra, El Toque
Why Cubans are fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Patrick Oppman, CNN
The immigration ruling rattling Florida, Eric Bazail-Eimil, Politico
The Genius Bar in a country where iPhones can’t legally be sold, Lidia Hernández Tapia, Rest of World
Private workers in Cuba, another sector that the exodus bleeds (Spanish), Litzie Alvarez Santana, El Toque
How Russia Is Recruiting Cubans To Fight in Ukraine, Vera Bergengruen, Time
Crisis, expectations, and migrations in Cuba, Lucía Rojas, OnCubaNews
Cachita: history and devotion of an island (Spanish), Leonardo M. Fernández Otaño, El Toque
The Art Of Creating Coveted Cuban Cigar Boxes, Rigoberto Diaz, Barron’s
EVENTS
Normal, IL, Photography Exhibit: “Exploring Cuba”, September 21
On September 21, Illinois State University’s Schroeder Hall is hosting an opening reception from 4:30pm-6:00pm CST for photographer Shea Grehan’s exhibit “Exploring Cuba'' as a part of Illinois’ Latinx Heritage month celebration. The exhibit depicts images from Grehan’s 10-day trip to Cuba in 2019 and showcases agro-ecological evolution in the country and dispels misconceptions of Cuba’s society. The reception will include open discussion and questions regarding his art and Cuba’s history.
Miami, FL, New Directions in Cuban Studies, October 18-22
On October 18, the Cuban Heritage Collection of the System of Libraries in the University of Miami will host its fifth edition of the multidisciplinary symposium, New Directions in Cuban Studies. This year’s theme is “The great challenges for Cuba yesterday, today and tomorrow.” The symposium will promote works of postgraduate academics on Cuba, with the purpose of spreading the achievements of the global Cuban diaspora.
Coral Gables, FL, Book Presentation: Transnational Cuban Networks of Exchange, October 20
On October 20, Books and Books will host an in-person book discussion of “Circulating Culture: Transnational Cuban Networks of Exchange,” by postdoctoral Research Fellow Jennifer Cearns. Her study delves into the meaning of Cuban culture and identity in a transnational context. Woven into her insightful analysis are evocative vignettes that portray the creators of a resilient and dynamic network—one that defies geopolitical boundaries and has withstood the rapid social changes spanning from the Obama-Biden administration, through the passing of Fidel Castro, and into the Trump-Pence administration. Jennifer Cearns’ work offers a compelling narrative that unravels the remarkable story of this enduring network and its role in shaping contemporary Cuban life. The event starts at 7:00pm EDT. Call (305) 348-1991 or email CRI@fiu.edu to register.
Miami, FL, Panel Discussion: Revisiting the War of 1898 and its Long-Term Repercussions for Cuba & the U.S., October 25
On October 25, FIU will hold a panel discussion focused on the impact of the War of 1898 on Cuba and the United States. Leading scholars Javior Figueroe, Marial Iglesias Utset, Kate Clarke Lemay and Taína Caragol will delve into how the aftermath of the Spanish-Cuban-American War transformed the United States and its newly acquired territories, how Cuba emerged as a 1902 nascent republic, and the growing ubiquitous presence of the United States. The event starts at 2:00pm EDT. Call (305) 348-1991 or email CRI@fiu.edu to register.
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