Latin American Nations Urge U.S. to Lift Venezuela and Cuba Sanctions Amid Persistent Migration Challenges

Latin American presidents during the Oct. 22 migration summit held in Mexico. Photo: EFE/Confidencial

On Oct. 22, various Latin American leaders gathered in Palenque, Mexico, to discuss potential solutions for the ongoing regional migrant crisis.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador welcomed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Cuban President Miguel-Díaz-Canel, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Honduran President Xiomara Castro, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, and several foreign ministers for the meeting.

Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Honduras have emerged as the primary sources of migrants arriving at the U.S. border. According to the Mexican government, in September alone, about 60,000 migrants arrived in Mexico from Venezuela, 35,000 from Guatemala, and 27,000 from Honduras. President Obrador stated that approximately 10,000 migrants per day are heading towards the U.S. border.

The concerns Mexico highlighted in the summit echo those of other countries of transition in Central America. Costa Rica, for one, declared a state of emergency on Sept. 26 because of migration overflow. In August, more than 80,000 people reached Costa Rica with the hope of eventually reaching the United States. A similar fear has been growing in Panama, where the number of migrants crossing the perilous Darien Gap has exceeded 400,000 people from the beginning of the year through September. This year's migration numbers in Panama are almost double those of 2022.

A migrant carrying a child prepares to start crossing the Darien Gap, from Colombia into Panama, in hopes of reaching the U.S., May 7, 2023. Photo: AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko

During the meeting in Mexico, the participating countries came together and agreed to a regional compromise to address the crisis, focusing on economic, social, and migratory aspects. Most notably, all countries signed a document calling for the cessation demanding the United States to stop utilizing unilateral coercive measures, such as sanctions, to influence domestic policy changes in Latin America.

The agreement was reached after two and a half hours of deliberation, and Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena read it aloud at the conclusion of the summit. The countries specifically called upon the United States to discontinue "inconsistent and selective policies" regarding migration. They condemned the United States for offering special privileges to migrants from Venezuela and Cuba, referring to President Joe Biden's recent decision to extend temporary protected status to nearly half a million Venezuelan migrants.

President Obrador criticized the fact that the United States allocates more funds for weaponry and warfare than for regional development in Latin America. He stressed that Latin American countries must unite to resolve the migration problem and mutually assist one another. Obrador has repeatedly denounced the United States for its sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba, asserting once that the United States "doesn't do enough. The resources allocated for the war in Ukraine far exceed those for combating poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean." He called for the U.S. to help them take action, stating that a comprehensive plan for cooperation is necessary to prevent Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans, Ecuadorians, Guatemalans, and Hondurans from being compelled to emigrate.

According to sources within the Mexican government, both the United States and Canada requested to attend the meeting but were denied, and UN representatives were also excluded.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro took the opportunity to censure the U.S. sanctions placed on his country, describing them as "illegal and immoral." Maduro advocated for the permanent removal of all sanctions, demanding freedom from extortion, blackmailing, and restrictions. He saw this course of action as a key component to ending the migrant crisis. The statement came after a recent agreement by the United States to ease sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry, a vital source of income for the Venezuelan people.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla echoed similar sentiments about U.S. intervention, affirming that “Cuban migrants have a higher likelihood of being accepted in the United States. compared to migrants from other countries if they claim credible fear of returning to their homeland. Cubans know this, of course.” Rodriguez asserted that the resolution to the migration issue lies in the hands of the United States, reassuring Cuba's willingness to renegotiate the embargo.

The implications of this meeting are expected to reverberate throughout the global stage, influencing policies and international relations in the months and years to come. The joint call for an end to unilateral coercive measures and criticism of U.S. sanctions can be seen as a stance against what these nations view as imperialist policies. Latin American leaders are challenging the external powers of the United States and its ability to influence their domestic affairs through economic pressure. This summit is a direct attempt for these nations to assert their right to self-determination and sovereignty. This can be seen as a collective effort to reduce the impact of imperialism on their domestic policies and economic stability.