Assistant
Secretary Brian A. Nichols’ Remarks on Cuba Policy at the Cuban Research
Institute of Florida International University March 7, 2023
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Secretary Brian A. Nichols’ Remarks on Cuba Policy at the Cuban Research
Institute of Florida International University March 7, 2023
Remarks
U.S.
Embassy in Havana
Havana,
Cuba
March
7, 2023
Hello,
thank you all for joining me to discuss our policy toward Cuba and support for
the Cuban people.
I am
honored to gather here today with an impressive group of Cubans and
Cuban-Americans who are incredibly knowledgeable about Cuba and U.S.-Cuba
policy. Your efforts, your expertise, and your commitment to a better
future for the Cuban people have never been more important than they are at
this moment.
I
welcome your perspectives and thank you in advance for the insight you will
share with us here today.
Everyone
in this room is aware that the Cuban people are facing among the most difficult
and dire political, economic, and social circumstances since Fidel Castro came to
power. Analysts suggest the economic situation is worse even than the so-called
Special Period of the 1990’s, and the human rights situation is grimmer than it
has been for decades.
As I am
sure you do, we hear over and over again from our contacts in Cuba and outside
that many Cubans believe there is no future left for them on the island.
That sense of desperation and a
yearning for greater freedoms led to the protests in July 2021 – the largest nationwide
demonstrations in Cuba in recent history. Instead of recognizing the moment and
addressing citizens’ legitimate concerns, the Cuban government responded with
characteristic repression, condemning hundreds of protestors to prison with
sentences up to 25 years.
[The disappointing inability of the Biden Administration to reverse the destructive policies of the Trump Administration was a contributing factor, not least regarding remittances and travel.]
Unfortunately,
in the more than 18 months since these historic protests, the regime has only
doubled down. NGOs estimate that over 700 protestors are among the more than
1,000 total political prisoners that remain behind bars today.
Publicly
– and privately in discussions with Cuban officials – the U.S. government
continues to call for the release of political prisoners. And we always stress
that the Cuban people should be able to choose where to live and the government
should allow its citizens to return to Cuba.
While we strongly oppose forced exile, the United States will not turn its back on political prisoners, and if they want to come to America, we will explore available avenues under U.S. law to welcome them.
[A very important practical step that will facilitate Cuba's response to the Pope's call for amnesty.]
Our Embassy in Havana has constant communication with the dissident community on the island, including the families of political prisoners. These dissidents and families are an incredibly brave group of people, facing extremely difficult conditions.
I would
like to review the key aspects of the Administration’s policy toward Cuba. As
this group is aware, President Biden directed us to take action in two primary
areas.
First,
to promote accountability for human rights abuses. As the President made
clear, the U.S. government supports the right of Cubans and people everywhere
to exercise their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly. We
announced targeted sanctions against Cuban officials and security forces
involved in abuses related to the July 11th protests
and visa restrictions on officials implicated in attempts to silence the voices
of the Cuban people.
Second,
the President directed us to explore meaningful ways to support the
Cuban people while limiting benefits to the Cuban regime.
[Ending the embargo would be the most meaningful way. Treating Cuba like Vietnam would enable, even force, the government to make significant reforms.]
To that
end, on May 16 last year, we made several policy announcements. One of the most
important elements of that support is family reunification through legal
migration.
As you
well know, the desperation that led to the protests also led to a wave of
migration, with more Cubans arriving at our southern border and the beaches of
Florida in the last year than during the waves of maritime migration in 1980
and 1994 combined.
In 2022, almost 300,000 Cubans crossed
the southwest border, representing almost three percent of Cuba’s estimated
population.
At the
same time, the number of Cubans attempting to cross the Florida Straits also
surged. Both these dangerous routes put migrants at extreme risk and led to an
unknown number of deaths.
I know
migration is a topic very close to home for this audience, as the vast majority
of Cuban migrants are ultimately settling right here in South Florida. Thank
you for your efforts to help new arrivals.
To
fulfill the President’s May 16 commitments, we have been working to expand safe
and legal migration options. Our Embassy in Havana is now fully open for
immigrant visa processing and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has
resumed processing under the Cuban Family Reunification Program.
Additionally,
the Administration took the very bold and innovative step of launching a new
parole program. The Administration committed to granting parole to up to 30,000
individuals from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti each month.
About
10,000 Cubans have successfully used the program to enter the United States to
date. Cubans from all
walks of life have benefited, including members of the human rights community.
I am
pleased to report that since the launch of the parole program in particular,
the number of Cuban migrants attempting dangerous irregular migration has
plummeted. Recognizing it is still early days, we are pleased to see Cuban
families choosing these legal options.
Our other areas of meaningful support
for the Cuban people aim to support greater freedom and expand economic
opportunities while limiting benefits to the Cuban regime. These areas
complement the ever-present focus on and support for Cuban human rights
defenders and civil society.
For the
first time since 2019, flights are now operating between the United States and
cities outside of Havana.
We have
strengthened family ties and facilitated educational connections between the
American and Cuban people by expanding
categories of authorized group travel.
The United States is increasing support
for independent Cuban entrepreneurs and everyday citizens.
For
example, we removed the cap on remittances and now allow for those in the
United States to send remittances to non-family members.
Direct
remittance flows resumed in November 2022 for the first time since 2020.
We increased support for private Cuban entrepreneurs by authorizing travel for professional meetings or conferences, including those that help connect the U.S. private sector with Cuban entrepreneurs, providing opportunities for networking and training.
{Conferences in Cuba will permit the greatest participation but they will be hard or organize if Americans can't use hotels.]
We are working to expand access to
technological services and tools that will enable trailblazing Cuban
entrepreneurs to start or grow their businesses and thrive in the global
digital economy, which will create jobs and opportunity for the Cuban people.
We are exploring expanded access to
cloud-hosted services and other development tools for the Cuban people. These tools will help
activists and civil society connect with each other and facilitate the flow of
information on and off the island. They will also help the Cuban people
access more services, including those that circumvent censorship.
[All very good, but when will it happen? This technological opening has been discussed for more than a year. At the same time the US refused once again to allow a fiber optic connection to a nearby cable system.]
The
current crisis, as you well know, is marked by very high inflation and chronic
shortages of food, medicine, and electricity. The August 2022 fire at the
Matanzas oil storage facility demonstrated the fragility of Cuba’s energy
infrastructure and exacerbated pre-existing energy shortages which manifest in
widespread and lengthy blackouts around the island.
The Cuban government is quick to try to blame others for its economic woes without acknowledging the decades of mismanagement that led to the current crisis.
We continue to call on the Cuban
government to put in place economic policies that would improve the country’s
situation, such as greater freedom for private sector actors and much-needed
agricultural reforms.
[Easy to criticize them, but how about us putting in place modest reforms to benefit the private sector and agriculture like a general license exemption from the embargo including agricultural supplies and equipment, U turn and other normal banking provisions.]
These
are all crucial steps which the President believes are the best means to
support the Cuban people, while minimizing benefits to the regime.
As we implement these measures, we will continue to
call on the Cuban regime to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms for
all Cubans and unconditionally release all political prisoners.
To
support the Cuban people and protect our U.S. national interests, we also do
have direct engagement with the regime when it is in our interest to do so.
Such engagement includes discussions on migration, scientific and technical cooperation including maritime and aviation safety, and food and animal health protocols. It also includes law enforcement cooperation as appropriate.
The United States will consider all
options available to continue supporting the Cuban people as they call for
greater freedom, access to resources, and respect for human rights.
[How about the option of ending economic warfare and regime change policies? Cuba should learn from Vietnam's successful economic policies. The US should learn from its successful bilateral relations with Vietnam.]
Thank
you and I look forward to listening to remarks from the panelists and answering
your questions.
By U.S. Embassy Havana |
8 March, 2023 | Topics: News, U.S.
& Cuba
https://cu.usembassy.gov/assistant-secretary-brian-a-nichols-remarks-on-cuba-policy-at-the-cuban-research-institute-of-florida-international-university-march-7-2023/
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