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Nicaragua Shuts Door on Cuban Migrants, Sparks Crisis

2/11/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Nicaragua blocks Cuban migrants from entering without a visa, ending a major migration route to the U.S.
Migration Director Juan Emilio Rivas Benítez announced the policy.
Experts label the move as the "weaponization of migration."
The government did not provide a rationale, and Cubans now face perilous alternatives, including journeys through Guyana or boat trips to Florida.

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Story summary

Nicaragua blocks Cuban migrants from entering without a visa, ending a major migration route to the U.S.
Migration Director Juan Emilio Rivas Benítez announced the policy.
Experts label the move as the "weaponization of migration."
The government did not provide a rationale, and Cubans now face perilous alternatives, including journeys through Guyana or boat trips to Florida.