The Nicaraguan government has recently imposed a visa requirement for Cuban citizens, effectively closing a key migration route for Cubans heading to the United States.

For several years, Cuban migrants have utilized Nicaragua as an entry point, flying into the country to connect with smugglers who would guide them through Central America and Mexico toward the U.S. border, as reported by The Associated Press.

This Sunday, Nicaragua officially announced the suspension of its previous policy that allowed Cuban nationals to enter the country without a visa, the government confirmed to the AP.

This development follows a decision by former President Donald Trump, who declared a national emergency in late January. The executive order targeted Cuba, accusing its government of collaborating with hostile nations and terrorist groups, and aimed to penalize countries that supply oil to the island.

In an image capturing the ongoing fuel shortages, a man is seen walking past a gas station near the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, on February 7, 2026. (Ramon Espinosa/AP)

As a result of Nicaragua’s new restrictions, Cuban migrants now find themselves reliant on alternative routes, with Guyana being a viable option. This small South American country has become another starting point for Cubans seeking to reach the United States.

From Guyana, migrants normally travel through the perilous jungle trenches of the Darien Gap dividing Colombia and Panama.

In the past, migrants with few other options have also taken precarious boat rides from Cuba to Florida’s coast.

Cubans wait in line outside the Nicaraguan Embassy in Havana, Cuba, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Norlys Perez/Reuters)

In Trump’s executive order, the president said Cuba aligns itself with and provides support for “numerous hostile countries, transnational terrorist groups, and malign actors adverse to the United States,” naming Russia, China, Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. 

The administration said Cuba hosts Russia’s largest overseas signals intelligence facility, which the order states attempts to steal sensitive U.S. national security information.  

Last November, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Democracy is on trial in the coming Elections in the beautiful country of Honduras on November 30th.”

“Will Maduro and his Narcoterrorists take over another country like they have taken over Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela?” he asked.

A man holds his passport while waiting to enter the Nicaraguan Embassy in Havana, Cuba, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Norlys Perez/Reuters)

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. military operation in early January.