Cuba Libre: Is travel to Cuba easing for some or all Americans?

by Brenda Yun on

[This slogan, the first one I spotted in central Havana, reads, “Revolution is: not to lie — ever — or violate ethical principles.” Is there room for compromise between the U.S. and Cuba? Only time will tell.]

On the heels of my own journey to Cuba, news has hit the fan with regard to lifting travel restrictions for Americans to Cuba. The latest news from Washington: Cuban-Americans are now allowed to travel back to their native island freely. This freer policy is designed to allow open communication between local Cubans and their relatives living in the U.S.. Therefore, in addition to freer travel, the U.S. is now allowing telecommunications companies to procure licenses in Cuba so that relatives can keep in touch.

For the rest of us Americans who are interested in traveling to Cuba as tourists, the embargo is still very much in effect: you can travel there (through Mexico or Canada), but you can’t spend money in Cuba. That is the biggest and longest-standing (50 years, to be exact) conundrum that likely still exists in the 21st century, but it basically means that Americans cannot yet travel to Cuba as tourists. They can, however, apply for a license to travel to Cuba for educational purposes or on business through the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The formal announcement of this slight (but not full) amendment to travel restrictions comes just days before Obama’s attendance at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, where the antiquated U.S.-Cuba trade embargo will certainly be a hot topic. Most Latin American countries want to see a normalized relationship forged between Obama and Cuba’s relatively new leader, Raúl Castro (Fidel’s brother). Since assuming the official role as Cuba’s President, Raúl Castro has already implemented his own freer policies such as cell phone use and television and DVD access, but most Cubans still cannot afford such luxuries.

I will be writing “Cuba Libre” posts for the remainder of the week, covering destination information and general observations and experiences from my recent trip to Cuba, so please stay tuned for more updates and travel information.

For a complete listing of my Cuba Libre posts, please click HERE.

[via The New York Times and Time.com]

Photo of the Day (3.15.09)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

I’ve never been to Cuba but this picture by Un rosarino en Vietnam is exactly how I picture it in my mind. Crumbling facades and vintage cars, all colored by a faded palette of soft blues and gentle greens. You just don’t find a scene like this one in many places in anymore – it’s like a time warp to the past.

Have you taken any stellar photos in Cuba? Or maybe just one from your last trip to Cleveland? Why not add them to our Gadling pool on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Cuba door cracks slightly

by Tom Johansmeyer on

President Barack Obama has announced that restrictions on travel to Cuba are about to become looser. But, it’s not time for cigar smokers across the United States begin to rejoice yet. So far, the measure will only allow Cuban-Americans with family on the island to visit, and Obama has stated that he supports the embargo.

The change in travel restrictions is part of a $410 billion spending bill approved by the Senate late Tuesday. It had already passed the House of Representatives and was signed by the president yesterday. The new law permits annual travel (rather than once every three years, under the Bush Administration‘s program) and increases a visitor’s allowable daily spend from $50 a day to $179 a day.

This is a small move, but by virtue of its involving Cuba, it becomes substantial. Bringing families back together, at least once a year, is a step in some right direction, whatever it may be.

The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act

by Brenda Yun on

Alas, a quiet bill was introduced by the House of Representatives earlier this week and could finally bring an end to a near 50-year U.S.-Cuba standstill. While everyone else in Washington has been deliberating on the stimulus package, Democratic Representative from Massachusetts, William Delahunt proposed the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act.

The proposed act hopes to end all travel restrictions for all U.S. citizens across the board. Some people still have concerns about the drastic effects this would have on travel to the still quite Communist country. In fact, the Cuban American National Foundation would like the bill to be amended to allow only Cuban exiles to visit the island whenever they wish to see family. The foundation wants to see restrictions to exist for American tourists until Cuba shows some indications of democratic reform.

President Obama has long been a proponent of alleviating the harsh ban on American travel to and from Cuba.

Regardless of the outcome, tourism in Cuba is hot compared to nearly all of the other travel destinations in the Caribbean and even in Latin America.

Obama’s closure of Guantanamo already in sight

by Brenda Yun on

The Castro brothers in Cuba extended a warm welcome to Obama into the political limelight. This message was relayed through Argentina‘s President, Cristina Kirchner, who recently returned to Buenos Aires after a brief visit to Havana.

Within 24 hours, Obama has already halted proceedings involving two Guantanamo detainees and intended to close Guantanamo by the end of the year — and likely much earlier.
While most would like to see Gitmo gone as soon as possible, it appears there is a slew of red tape that could slow this process:

  • the decision must be made at the Cabinet level, and Clinton has been reluctant to conform to Obama’s views of Guantanamo in particular
  • the prisoners will be displaced and moved to several other prisons around the world, which still remains a logistical question mark
  • legal actions on all 200+ detainees must first be issued before official closure can occur

Amid the increased attention on Obama, Fidel and Raúl Castro, and Guantanamo, there still remains an awkward silent treatment among all parties. Obama has yet to open talks with Castro (or vice versa) and Gitmo prisoners are showing their displeasure through hunger strikes and complaints of harsh mistreatment.

Right now, Gitmo and relations between America and Cuba as a whole remains a “wait-and-see” endeavor, but with Obama comes a dramatic changing of the guard that could soften the strained emotions all are feeling right now.

[via the New York Times and AFP]