Migration talks mark progress in tense U.S.-Cuba relations - The Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Following a bid of talks connected migration with the Biden administration, Cuba said Tuesday that it volition person deportation flights from the United States that had been stalled successful the pandemic — and said it was unfastened to continuing dialog with Washington.

The statement comes amid 1 of the largest migrations from Cuba to the U.S. successful decades.

In October, Cubans replaced Venezuelans arsenic the 2nd astir galore nationality aft Mexicans arriving astatine the border. U.S. authorities stopped Cubans 28,848 times, up 10% from the erstwhile month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection information shows.

That exodus is fueled by deepening and compounding crises successful the Caribbean nation, which suffers from shortages of basal goods and lengthy powerfulness outages.

The 2 governments person had a tense narration for 60 years — and that grew much hostile erstwhile erstwhile President Donald Trump tightened American sanctions connected the island.

But migration appears to person go a gathering constituent for Cuba and the Biden administration, which held talks successful Havana for the 2nd clip successful the span of a week connected Tuesday.

“It was a utile gathering and it contributed to the communal objective, committed to achieving a safe, regular and ordered migration,” said Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Carlos Cossío successful a quality league Tuesday.

Cossío added determination was “an evident need” for 2 countries truthful geographically adjacent to support a dialog contempt their differences.

Leading the U.S. delegation was Emily Mendrala, lawman adjunct caput for Western Hemisphere affairs.

The State Department besides expressed optimism astir practice successful a little merchandise Tuesday afternoon, acknowledging the meeting.

“Engaging successful these talks underscores our committedness to pursuing constructive discussions with the authorities of Cuba wherever due to beforehand U.S. interests,” the connection said.

The talks travel a fig of affable — oregon astatine slightest non-hostile — exchanges betwixt the 2 governments successful caller months.

The U.S. authorities precocious announced it would resume visa and consular services connected the land successful January. Those had been stalled aft a bid of wellness incidents involving U.S. diplomats starting successful 2017.

When Hurricane Ian ravaged the land successful September, the Biden medication announced it would supply $2 cardinal for betterment efforts.

In August, the medication besides provided 43 occurrence suits to Cuba pursuing the blaze successful an lipid retention facility.