The Cuban government intends to “deepen” its ties with migrants and, despite the fact that many of them do so due to disagreement with its own administration, it seeks to involve them “with the country’s economic and social development.”
Ana Teresita González, director general of Consular Affairs and Cubans Living Abroad at MINREX, stated at a press conference with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez this Thursday that involving them is a Cuban foreign policy “priority.”
González considered that “there has been progress in the recent period,” but emphasized that “we are still far from reaching the desired level of participation.”
“There are policies designed to make our fellow citizens more involved in the defense of the homeland, in the fight against the blockade and in the efforts to remove Cuba from that spurious list of state sponsors of terrorism,” she said, emphasizing that they also seek to “promote their involvement,” according to Cubadebate.
A policy that goes beyond MINREX
This policy “goes beyond the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; it is transversal, involving all agencies of the Central State Administration and the territories, where they can efficiently promote local projects.”
Seeking this rapprochement, she said that the island’s consulates and embassies “continue working actively to connect fellow citizens residing abroad to priority sectors such as the provision of raw materials and inputs to reactivate Cuba’s industrial capacity.”
The MINREX official added that migrants’ participation “in the country’s economic and social development has been increasing, although it remains far from sufficient for Cuba’s needs.”
Trained in Cuba
According to the official, “this year seven sectoral events were held in key branches of the economy, with the participation of more than 650 Cubans, who were able to express themselves, ask questions and explore how they can continue contributing to the nation’s economic and social development from their countries of residence.”
She also recalled that at the Fourth Nation and Emigration Conference, held in Havana in 2023, 19 years after the last of these meetings, “the majority support of Cubans living abroad for the fight against the blockade and the defense of Cuba was reaffirmed.”
González reiterated that migrants “are Cubans trained in Cuba, professionals who owe much to the Revolution and who wish to maintain an emotional and active connection with their homeland. We are determined to advance policies that facilitate and expand their participation.”
Foreign Minister Rodríguez Parrilla, for his part, underlined that “Cubans abroad have a deep connection with the nation” and that “promoting these ties must also favor their participation in solving current economic problems, including local development.”
Regarding the unstoppable migration of Cubans, he merely mentioned that “a significant number of our compatriots live abroad” and clarified that “many of them are the result of the educational, scientific and social work of our homeland. We should open the doors to all of them for active participation.”
In contrast, there is another group of Cubans who, due to their critical attitude toward the government, politics and administration, are prohibited from entering the island.
The meeting between MINREX and the press took place during a break in the fifth regular session of the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP).
