{"id":229348,"date":"2020-10-21T11:30:32","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T15:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=229348"},"modified":"2020-10-21T11:30:32","modified_gmt":"2020-10-21T15:30:32","slug":"cuba-still-no-date-for-conference-of-emigrants-although-theres-interest-in-holding-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/nation-and-migration\/cuba-still-no-date-for-conference-of-emigrants-although-theres-interest-in-holding-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Cuba: still no date for conference of emigrants, although there\u2019s \u201cinterest in holding it\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 4th <\/span>The Nation and Emigration<\/span><\/a> Conference, initially scheduled for last April and which had to be postponed due to COVID-19, still doesn\u2019t have a defined date for its holding. However, \u201cinterest in holding it continues,\u201d Ernesto Sober\u00f3n, general director of Consular Affairs and Cubans Residing Abroad of the island\u2019s Foreign Ministry, said to <\/span>OnCuba<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith the level of uncertainty that still exists about the pandemic, with outbreaks in several countries and the complex situation that we had in Cuba in recent months that we are already leaving behind, we will have to wait a little longer to define a date when it\u2019s considered prudent to implement it,\u201d Sober\u00f3n replied to a question from our media at a press conference held this Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the diplomat, when it was decided to postpone the event\u2015which seeks to promote a dialogue between the Cuban authorities and the emigration\u2015\u201cthere was a significant number of Cubans who had expressed their interest in attending from a diverse number of countries.\u201d For this reason, and taking into account the current scenario, the government of the island is considering it will wait until a time when there\u2019s \u201cnormal flights and when everyone who wants to participate can do so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Regarding possible new measures of a migratory nature that, according to what was unofficially commented, could have been announced at the conference, Sober\u00f3n did not confirm that this was planned as part of the meeting\u2019s agenda and ruled out that it was necessary to wait for the holding of events of this type to update Cuba\u2019s policy related to its emigrants.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCuban migratory policy is updated and is constantly being analyzed, and one of the achievements we have had in these 42 years of policy towards Cubans abroad is that it has not been necessary to wait for conferences of this nature to announce new measures,\u201d explained the official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), who said that this had happened in 2013, 2016 and 2018, when changes in the country\u2019s migratory regulations were announced.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe measures are evaluated and applied at the time it is considered most appropriate, and it\u2019s not necessary to wait until an event is held to announce them,\u201d he stressed, although without confirming or denying whether new measures could be announced before the 4th Cuba: The Nation and Emigration Conference takes place, if it continues to be postponed due to the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sober\u00f3n also affirmed at the press conference that the automatic and free extension of the stay of Cubans residing abroad beyond the established 24 months\u2015decreed by the pandemic and recently canceled and restored after a wave of criticism and comments in this regard\u2014would remain \u201cuntil it is possible to return to normality in terms of regular flights.\u201d Furthermore, he insisted that \u201cthere are no issues that cannot be discussed between Cuba and its nationals abroad\u201d even though he acknowledged that \u201cnot everything is resolved\u201d in this regard.<\/span><\/p>\n

MINREX: no-cost extension for Cubans abroad will be maintained until flights are normalized<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n