Cuban Government Defends Migration and Citizenship Laws: "A Project to Unite Cubans"

The Cuban regime has stepped forward to defend its newly proposed Migration, Foreigners, and Citizenship laws, recently published on the National Assembly of People's Power website. The stated goals are to "promote citizen participation and contribute to the legal culture" among Cubans.

During a conference at the International Press Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokespersons from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT)—the body responsible for drafting these documents—asserted that the projects aim to "continue uniting Cubans."

"We have not made a law to divide; these are not projects to divide. They are projects to ask for unity among Cubans," said Colonel Mario Méndez Mayedo, head of the Directorate of Identification, Immigration, and Foreign Affairs (DIIE) of MININT.

The same official, who less than a year ago claimed that returning Cuban emigrants respond with the phrase "Patria o Muerte," mentioned that the Cuban government would establish "gradual facilities so that emigrants can obtain residence abroad and have the possibility to reside in Cuba or not."

During this press briefing, Cuban authorities specified that the new laws, to be presented to Parliament in July, will affect 1.3 million Cubans residing abroad. The most notable change in the Migration legislation is that it would allow all Cubans who have been abroad for more than two years to retain their citizenship rights and properties on the island. Until now, this depended on renewing their status as residents abroad every two years.

The legislation also outlines a series of requirements for entering and leaving the country, with significant discretion left to Cuban authorities in interpreting these points. An important note is that the law is not retroactive, affecting only those who emigrate once the new law takes effect. Colonel Méndez Mayedo clarified that the law would come into force in 2025 after approval by the ANPP.

The Citizenship law project, meanwhile, outlines several principles such as effective citizenship, equality of rights, and addresses the acquisition, renunciation, loss, and recovery of citizenship, as well as its registration. However, a concerning aspect is the power it grants the President of the Republic to strip a Cuban of their citizenship.

Chapter III, "Deprivation of Cuban Citizenship," states in Article 54 that Cubans cannot be deprived of their citizenship except for legally established causes. Article 55.1 then specifies two causes: one is enlisting in any armed organization with the aim of attacking the territorial integrity of the Cuban state, its citizens, and other residents. The second cause is "from abroad, engaging in acts contrary to the high political, economic, and social interests of Cuba, as determined by the relevant citizenship authority," a broad claim that could include any activity deemed a threat by the regime, such as those by opposition members or political activists.

Currently, migration issues have taken a central role in Cuba's daily life. Demands for regime change, governmental mismanagement of the economy, and human rights violations are aspects highlighted by the Cuban diaspora in their interventions and projections about the country.

Each of these laws has sparked debate within the Cuban community, especially those residing abroad, due to the impact on their contact with the island. Diverse and sometimes conflicting opinions are reflected on social media and websites that facilitate idea exchanges.