Panama suspends process to grant visas to Cubans – 2024-07-13 17:35:47

by times news cr

2024-07-13 17:35:47

The closure of border crossings in Darien, the demands of Wingo Airlines and now the suspension of visas by Panama are bad news for those who want to escape.

In good Cuban terms, the dominoes are blocked! Several nations are denying visas to citizens of the Island and this is due, according to Alex Otaola, to pressures or agreements from the Joe Biden administration.

Even though travelers from the island congregated at the José Martí airport and then in front of the Colombian Embassy in Havana, Bogotá requires a transit visa.

Panama, for its part, has closed at least three access points with barbed wire used by illegal migrants, including Cubans.

These border points with Colombia are (or were) frequented on the way to the United States, but the Panamanian government intends to have greater control over this irregular route.

Following this reality, to further complicate the situation for those who intend to flee the hungry and oppressed Island, Migration Panama has issued a statement.

“The National Migration Service (SNM) informs that, due to the same process of transition of change of Government, since this month of July 2024, the procedure to make the online request for appointments to obtain the Stamped Visa for foreigners of Cuban nationality, is disabled, since they are seeking to resolve a situation of vulnerability detected in the system.”

“According to the Director General of the National Migration Service, Roger Mojica Rivera, the institution is committed to providing the transparency that these processes deserve and that immigration laws and compliance will be defended,” the statement says.

“However, it is important to emphasize that once the process is enabled to acquire the Stamped Visa of said country, it can be presented accordingly at the main office of the National Migration Service (SNM),” concludes the text.

“Apparently the Biden administration, with its open doors, has asked the countries that serve as a crossing point for Cubans to please not give visas to any Cubans to prevent them from ending up at the southern border of the United States,” Otaola reported.

Cubans Around the World Editorial Team

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