Madrid/The forecasts have fallen very short when it comes to calculating the number of Cubans who opt for Spanish nationality through the Democratic Memory Law (LMD). The final number of applicants in Havana amounts to more than 600,000, as revealed to 14ymedio sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. The number is the result of adding those who have already formally submitted their request and those who have made the appointment request, which is actually the data that triggers the count.
The final accounts differ substantially of the numbers managed by the General Council of Spanish Citizenship Abroad (Cgcee) and that were not updated. That is the information that the newspaper also offered this Monday The Countryin the absence of the Ministry’s final balance sheet, which admits that the amount revealed may still move slightly 14ymediodated at the end of October.
In addition, from the Havana figure, which stood at 350,000 (about 250,000 less than the final figures), there are other marked differences. Mexico City, which in theory had 165,000 applicants registered, in reality has closed with about 98,000; Sao Paulo (in Brazil) has just over 140,000, compared to the 150,000 announced and Miami is above 122,000, more than the 120,000 estimated. There was also data from Caracas, which has about 35,000, below the 40,000 that the Cgcee calculated.
Another data that has risen like foam is that of Chile, which in October was estimated at about 43,000 applicants and which has finally closed at more than 72,000
Another data that has risen like foam is that of Chile, which in October was estimated at around 43,000 applicants and which has finally closed at more than 72,000. However, the advance of Argentine requests, the most numerous, is quite consistent with the preliminary numbers, with almost a million applicants between the consulates of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and Mendoza. The advanced total is the same as that offered by the Cgcee, 3.2 million people have requested Spanish nationality in all the offices enabled to receive applications.
Another source close to the process points out that on the Island there are already 350,000 Cubans registered as Spaniards – who have already achieved nationality in this and other ways – to which we must add the pending ones. “More than 196,000 were physically presented at the Consulate in Havana and there are more than 400,000 applications that must be scheduled,” he says. Furthermore, since the procedures are carried out at the consulate of residence, “many Cubans have presented their applications in other countries, especially in the United States.”
With the new figures, Violeta Alonso’s statement becomes even more relevant, president of Cgcee, who warned of consular overflow and its consequences. “There are some demarcations with such volume that the resolution could take many years, not two or three, but many years,” he admitted. The sources consulted by this newspaper agree with the statement, the requests are processed, but it will take too long to do everything.
“More than 196,000 were physically presented at the Consulate in Havana and there are more than 400,000 applications that must be scheduled”
In the information published this Monday by The CountryAlonso recalled that the consular network needs more than reinforcement for the titanic task it faces with this, since, in itself, it has structural problems, both in human resources and infrastructure. Many of them urgently need renovations to meet new safety requirements and avoid accidents such as the one that occurred at the Sao Paulo headquarters where part of a roof collapsed.
But it is not only about managing this paperwork, which is in turn weighing down other procedures carried out in the consulates, but workers will be required permanently in some offices that will see the number of citizens to serve multiply. To do this, Alonso will convey several ideas to the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, in a meeting scheduled for this month.
