Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Labor took advantage of an event in Mexico City to flee to the United States

Cuban Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security Juan Carlos Santana Novoa took advantage of a visit to Mexico to cross the border into the United States, where he requested political asylum.

Santana was in Mexico on September 4 for the Technical Summit of American Social Security Commissions. At the end of the event, he moved to Nogales, Sonora, where he requested political asylum.

According to court documents reported by Martí Noticias, Santana will settle in Florida awaiting a preliminary hearing in court on August 21, 2026. This hearing will take place in Orlando.

The same media reported that the Deputy Minister has two children living in the United States; one of them arrived in the country less than a year ago.

According to anonymous sources, Santana hid his employment status in the Cuban government upon entering the United States.

However, Santana requested the asylum appointment on September 30 and did not reveal to immigration authorities that he had a position within the Cuban regime. The leaks indicate that this facilitated his entry into the United States.

The Cuban government has not commented on Santana’s defection. However, on the official website of the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security his name no longer appears and there is a new vice-minister in his position.

A group of congressmen from South Florida criticized the fact that Santana is free within the United States. María Elvira Salazar condemned the fact that he sought asylum in the “capitalist empire” and did not ask for “refuge in Venezuela, Nicaragua or North Korea.”

Santana joined the list of Cuban regime officials who defected in recent months to the United States.

Written by: Oscar El Blue

Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Labor took advantage of an event in Mexico City to flee to the United States