With U.S. doors shutting, Cubans turn to Brazil for asylum

For years, many Cubans hoping to leave the island looked to the United States. Now, with legal pathways largely closed, a growing number are heading to Brazil instead.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8147x5431+0+0/resize/8147x5431!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0d%2F1a%2F5c07c5324df6961bc7b459fd4c69%2Fap26160624082727.jpg' alt='A man pushes his bicycle along a trash-strewn street in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 9, 2026.'/><p>For years, many Cubans hoping to leave the island looked to the United States. Now, with legal pathways largely closed, a growing number are heading to Brazil instead.</p><p>(Image credit: Ramon Espinosa)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5910714' />