The immigration lawyer Willy Allen surprised the audience of his weekly program on CiberCuba yesterday by expressing, with an unusual sense of optimism, that he expects "substantial changes" in Cuba during this month of May, including the resumption of visa interviews at the embassy in Havana.
"I have high hopes that substantial changes will occur in May, which will once again allow successful interviews in Havana that will approve your visa to go to the United States," Allen stated on the program hosted by journalist Tania Costa.
The host did not hide her surprise: "It's the first time I've seen you with hope," she said, referring to the lawyer's usual skepticism about the situation in Cuba.
One of the elements that fuels Allen's optimism is the presence of a U.S. aircraft carrier near the island, referencing President Trump's threats to deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of Cuba. "An aircraft carrier in the water near the island is always a good thing; we will have to see," he stated.
Allen even pointed to May 20 —the date of Cuba's independence— as a possible symbolic date for these changes to take place. "Do you think it will be by May 20? I don't know, it would be a good date," he noted.
The lawyer also reflected on the political future of the regime: "I don’t believe that the government of Cuba will last much longer in its current form. I hope that within the next month or two, at least, there will be a cosmetic change in the government."
The conversation shifted to the recent public appearance of Raúl Castro at the May 1st parade in Havana, where the former leader appeared visibly frail. "He is 94 years old. His family tends to live long lives. So we'll see," Allen remarked.
The lawyer went further and linked Castro's health condition with the possibilities of negotiation between Washington and Havana: "I believe that part of what was always on the table was that for any negotiation, they wanted Raul to die in Cuba, so let's wait for the best."
Regarding the migratory impact, Allen was categorical: as long as the consulate in Havana does not resume interviews, Cubans will be excluded from any benefits of the new regulations from May. "The embassy in Havana is really acting in a relatively cruel manner with this government," he lamented.
The lawyer also mentioned that his brother was in Havana yesterday with a group of Baptist ministers who brought containers of humanitarian aid, and he expressed hope that this presence could help pave the way for some change.
The geopolitical context partly supports Allen's optimism: on May 1, Trump signed an executive order expanding sanctions against Cuba and threatened to send the aircraft carrier "100 meters off the Cuban coast," while since January 2025, the administration has imposed more than 240 sanctions against the regime, reducing the island's oil imports by between 80% and 90%.
The Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla responded to the threats by stating that Cuba "will not be intimidated" and that the island would be "a nest of wasps and a deadly trap in the event of an attack."
Allen, however, stands by his bet: «The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln is in the water near Cuba. Who knows? What a good name for an aircraft carrier. Abraham Lincoln changed the U.S., so we’ll see».
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