Cubans protest at Havana embassy over Panama’s decision to impose a visa requirement

 Nearly 400 Cubans gathered at Panama's embassy in Havana on Wednesday to protest against new visa requirements. They were holding passports and plane tickets.

Many protesters had already booked flights for the coming days. However, they found out that Panama will require a "transit" visa for any Cuban arriving at the Panama City airport. They were protesting Panama’s decision to require transit visas for Cubans intending to travel to the United States (US) via the Central American nation.

The new visa requirements affected migrants, who were hoping to pass through the Central American nation and north to the US. According to the new requirements, would-be travellers must apply for a visa at least 15 days ahead of their trip and the fee is $50. The amount is twice the median monthly wage in Cuba. The transit visa will be applicable only for 24 hours.

According to Reuters, Anisley Peña cried beside her 9-year-old son Densel just outside the embassy gates in Havana. She told Reuters that they were scheduled to travel to Panama and then on a connecting flight to Nicaragua, a Central American nation, on Wednesday afternoon. However, her plans got spoiled because of the new visa requirements.

Reportedly, the protesters chanted, "We want a response, we want a response", behind a police cordon. Subsequently, the embassy released a statement on social media to clarify that the visa requirement would come into effect beginning Sunday.

As per media reports, demand for flights from Havana to Central American cities has risen after Nicaragua in November lifted visa requirements for Cuban nationals.

Panama has joined Costa Rica and Colombia in imposing a visa requirement on Cubans amid a surge in the numbers of people trying to reach the US via Central America since last November.

Earlier, a similar protest erupted in Costa Rica’s embassy late in February over visa requirements for Cubans.