Cubans have reported that, after traveling to the island to visit their families, they have been prohibited from leaving the country again. Although many of them are legal residents in the United States and have no pending cases or political history, they are informed that they are "regulated" when trying to return.
The journalist Mario J. Pentón addressed the issue on his social media alongside lawyer Ismael Labrador from the Gallardo Law Firm, after receiving some messages from people stranded in Cuba without clear legal justification.
One of these cases was sent by a desperate woman. "My husband traveled to Cuba on July 4th. His return was scheduled for August 2nd, but immigration did not allow him to leave. They told him he was under a travel ban. He has never had anything to do with the government."
Another similar case involves a specialist doctor who went to see his family and, when attempting to return, was informed that he was also regulated. "This is not the first time this has happened," Pentón stated. "There have been cases that take months to resolve, while people lose their jobs, stability, and even their legal status in the U.S." Although he did not disclose names, the journalist from Martí Noticias mentioned that he is preparing a report on the topic.
According to lawyer Labrador, these situations are particularly serious for those who arrived in the U.S. claiming credible fear. “If a person applied for asylum saying they were afraid to return to Cuba and then makes ten trips a year to the island, they could come under scrutiny from U.S. authorities for fraud,” he explained. “The government is closely examining these cases.”
Labrador warned that spending too much time outside the United States, whether in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, or other countries, can jeopardize one's permanent residency. “They can revoke your residency and take you before a judge. The only one who can take it away from you is a judge, but the process can be long and painful.”
The regime admits regulations but justifies them on the grounds of "national security."
Although officially the Cuban government claims it imposes regulations solely for reasons of “national security or public interest”, practice shows otherwise. In statements to Associated Press (AP) last year, Colonel Mario Méndez Mayedo from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) acknowledged that Cuba reserves the right to prevent individuals from leaving the country for “discretionary” reasons.
The justification, he said, is that Cuba lives in a context of “permanent aggressiveness” due to U.S. sanctions, which forces the regime to weigh “the political cost” of allowing certain individuals to leave.
However, activists, journalists, doctors, and even ordinary citizens have been affected by these regulations without prior notice, without the right to defense and without formal explanation.
In 2023 it was revealed that the regime had begun to prohibit citizens with outstanding debts to the National Office of Tax Administration (ONAT) from leaving the country. This measure appears to still be in effect.
According to data from the entity itself, in that year, more than 600 people have been regulated since the agreement was signed in 2022 between the ONAT and the Directorate of Identification, Immigration, and Foreigners (DIIE) of the Ministry of the Interior. The measure prevents those with "significant debts" from traveling and also allows for entry notices to be issued for travelers who are already outside the country but have outstanding payments.
Another affected sector is medicine, especially the specialist doctors, whom the regime has begun to control more strictly in light of the massive exodus of healthcare personnel.
The case of doctor José Manuel Suárez Villalobos, a surgeon with 28 years of service, is an example of this policy. “How long do I have to suffer the punishment of having become a specialist doctor?” he asked in a public message in 2024.
Suárez, who completed internationalist missions earning only 20 dollars a month, cannot obtain a passport or travel to see his children and grandchildren.
In December last year, it became known that two gynecologists from Sancti Spíritus were prevented from leaving the country despite having tickets and plans to emigrate. "It feels like returning to a slavery-like past," denounced Dr. Alexander Figueredo from the U.S., who was also a victim of regulation.
A letter signed, also in 2024, by more than 4,000 healthcare professionals, grouped in the Cuban Health Observatory United, demands that the government put an end to these regulations, but so far there has been no official response beyond denials or institutional silence.
What can those affected do?
Lawyers recommend that those in this situation document every step, contact legal representation as soon as possible, and avoid staying outside the U.S. for long periods if they are residents.
“The most important thing is not to let your guard down,” warns Labrador. “Today you can enter Cuba without any issues, and tomorrow you might find yourself stuck. We don’t know who will be next.”
Filed under: