Cuba says U.S. asking for illegal immigration

by Andrew Zajac

The United States is actually encouraging illegal and life-threatening illegal immigration by slowing down visa applications from Cubans seeking to legally migrate to the U.S. according to Cuba's chief diplomat in the U.S.

Dagoberto Rodriguez, chief of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, also rejects the State Department's explanation that Cuba is stalling matters at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

"There have been any number of instances over the last few months where vital equipment and supplies, personnel needed to repair some of our-some of the things in our Interests Section have been blocked or prevented from entry by the Cuban Government,” State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

For more, see the story in today's Tribune:

By Andrew Zajac
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government is encouraging illegal and life-threatening immigration by deliberately slowing down visa applications of Cubans seeking to migrate to the U.S, Cuba’s top diplomat in the U.S. charged Wednesday.

Dagoberto Rodriguez, the chief of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, also rejected the State Department’s explanation that the slowdown is due to the Cuban government stalling the delivery of supplies and the hiring of employees for the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

“We categorically reject that accusation,” Rodriguez said. “The United States authorities deliberately lie.”

The current flap over visas began last month when Granma, Cuba’s Communist Party newspaper, published a Foreign Ministry statement noting that U.S. Interests Section had approved only 10,724 exit visas in the nine months ended June 30, far short of the annual quota of 20,000 established by a 1994 migration agreement.

Although the two countries are bitter enemies, the migration agreement was hammered out in an attempt to develop an orderly flow of migrants and to reduce the flow of Cubans making the dangerous passage across the Florida Straits, sometimes in overcrowded or unseaworthy boats.

The statement suggested that a desire to destabilize the island was behind the reduced number of visa approvals.

Rodriguez said that throttling back on visa approvals encourages illegal immigration attempts, the more so since Cubans, unlike citizens of many other countries, are eligible to apply for legal residency if they reach U.S. soil.

The State Department has acknowledged the current shortfall but blames the Cubans for holding up vetting of employees and the delivery of 28 shipping containers of supplies needed by the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

“In terms of our visa programs ... there have been any number of instances over the last few months where vital equipment and supplies, personnel needed to repair some of our-some of the things in our Interests Section have been blocked or prevented from entry by the Cuban Government,” State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

“So you know, if they would like us to-and like to assist us in making sure that we can fully meet all the numerical quotas established by that agreement, one of the things they could do is stop interfering with the work of the Interests Section.”

Because the U.S. and Cuba don’t have diplomatic relations, they operate “interests sections” in lieu of embassies in each others’ countries.

Rodriguez said more than 300 Cubans already work at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. He accused the U.S. of “abusing the diplomatic pouch” by importing more than 80 tons of material in 2006, including fax machines and other equipment for distribution to internal Cuban political opposition.

Rodriguez termed such assistance “subversive activities against our country.”