Uruguay has nearly 30,000 pending Cuban asylum applications
The country has recognized 52 Cubans as refugees; about 30 applicants arrive through Rivera each month.
Uruguay has nearly 30,000 unresolved asylum applications from Cuban citizens, compared with 52 people from the island who have already received refugee status. The Refugee Commission, known as CORE, reviews the cases.
The cited annual recognition figures were two Cubans in 2025, six in 2024 and seven in 2023. The reported high for the past decade was 13 in 2019. About 30 Cubans also enter each month through the Rivera border crossing to seek asylum.
Deputy Foreign Minister Valeria Csukasi attributes the backlog to the difference between the number of applications and CORE's operational capacity. Alternate National Party lawmaker Leydis Aguilera says a lack of political will is also involved and that she knows of people who have waited more than three years.
Sources consulted
3 outlets- adncuba.comCerca de 30 mil cubanos solicitan refugio en Uruguay, pero solo 52 han sido reconocidos como refugiados | ADN Cuba ↗
- Directorio CubanoRefugio de cubanos en Uruguay: casi 30.000 solicitudes en trámite y 52 reconocidos ↗
- CiberCubaUruguay solo ha reconocido como refugiados a 52 cubanos pese a casi 30 mil solicitudes pendientes ↗