Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today questioned State Department officials from the Obama Administration regarding the Cuban migratory crisis currently unfolding in Central America. Rubio also addressed security challenges in Central American countries. Rubio made his comments during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on ‘Central America and the Alliance for Prosperity: Identifying U.S. Priorities and Assessing Progress.’

A partial transcript of Rubio’s remarks is below.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Washington, D.C.
April 19, 2016
https://youtu.be/O3oVfZpwuEI

Senator Marco Rubio: ‘One of the new complications many of these countries in Central America are facing now is this surge in Cuban migrants who have figured out you can take an airplane to Central America, and now some of these countries are basically demanding that they be allowed to continue their transit here.

‘The argument they’re making is ‘these people don’t really want to live here, they’re just coming through here to get to the United States from Cuba.’

Can you describe, first of all, the strains that this is placing on these countries, beyond just the Northern Triangle countries, the strains this is placing on Central America; is this not a very serious and growing problem that shows no signs of abatement?’

Mr. Francisco Palmieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at U.S. Department of State: ‘I think it is a very serious problem. It is most acutely felt in Costa Rica and Panama, and in addition to people flying directly, people are flying to Ecuador and making their way north through Colombia into Panama.

‘It is putting a significant stress on the migration officials in these countries and our concern is that this has to be done in a safe, legal and orderly way and we are working with the region’s partners to develop those responses.’

Rubio: ‘Many of their goals was just to hopscotch through the countries in Central America until they got to the southern border. They would just cross, and as soon as a Cuban crosses the border, they just turn themselves in and they’re legally here.’

Palmieri: ‘That’s exactly right, Senator. ‘

Rubio: ‘And this is a growing problem. And, we’ve seen this grow over the last year and a half. And, this route is becoming a well-developed one. And, I would imagine for these countries, especially the ones we’re talking about today that are already facing significant challenges internally, this additional strain is not helpful, to say the least.’

Palmieri: ‘It is putting a strain, as I said, more acutely in Costa Rica and Panama where the back-up is occurring because Nicaragua has closed its border somewhat more effectively to some of that hopscotch that has been taking place.’