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Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla's statements reignited controversy this Monday after the Cuban foreign minister accused the United States of "instilling fear" among Cubans living in that country and threatening to freeze or close their bank accounts.
However, his words, far from generating solidarity, triggered a wave of criticism from Cubans both on and off the island, who reproach the Cuban government for ignoring the true origins of the exodus and the regime's own repressive practices.
“Cuban nationals living in the U.S. are suffering from the persecution and fear instilled by the current immigration policy of that country... now they face the threat of losing or having their bank accounts frozen,” Rodríguez wrote on X.
The reaction was immediate. “And why don’t you care about what the Cubans on the island are suffering?” replied one user. Another, from Cuba, added: “Their fear is that they will be deported to share this nightmare that you impose on us.”
Many recalled that on the island, those who protest are also chased, watched, and punished. “Let’s see, Brunito, do they not pursue those who protest in Cuba? You only have eyes for the USA,” wrote another internet user.
His statements come at a particularly delicate time for Cuban migrants. Under a “national security” review policy, the administration of Donald Trump halted the asylum, permanent residency, and naturalization processes for citizens from 19 countries, including Cuba.
The measure has caused cancellations of interviews, citizenship ceremonies, and a huge immigration bottleneck that leaves thousands of Cubans in legal limbo.
In addition, several migrants have started receiving alerts from Bank of America, warning that their accounts could be frozen if they do not update their immigration status. Some have already temporarily lost access to their funds.
“The bank froze my account directly… I couldn’t take out even a dollar,” a Cuban told Univision. The IRS, for its part, reminded that ignoring debt notices can lead to immediate garnishments of accounts and wages.
Meanwhile, a new report from the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that more than 75,000 migrants arrested by ICE this year had no criminal record, which contradicts the official narrative that the raids are aimed solely at dangerous criminals.
In that context, Bruno Rodríguez's words have been interpreted by many Cubans as an attempt to politically capitalize on the fear of the diaspora, while avoiding acknowledgment of his responsibility in the migration crisis. "The first thing is to analyze who forced them to emigrate," wrote a user.
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