Congress Ready to End Cuba Travel Ban: Senators

Cuabn-American senator's parents didn't come to US as exiles

(NEWSER) - Marco Rubio has told many cheering crowds of Cuban Americans that he is the son of exiles forced off the island by Fidel Castro—but the Florida Republican is embellishing the facts, according to the Washington Post . The newspaper examined naturalization records and other documents, and found that Rubio's parents became permanent residents of the US more than two years before Castro's government came to power. Rubio—a rising Tea Party star considered to be a possible 2012 Republican vice presidential candidate—states that his parents "came to America following Fidel Castro’s takeover," in his official biography on his Senate website. More»

Resolution passes for 19th year in a row

(NEWSER) - The United Nations has, for the 19th year in a row, passed a resolution to drop its longstanding economic embargo against Cuba. The resolution, once again, passed by an overwhelming majority, with 187 nations voting in favor of it and only the US and Israel voting against it, CNN reports. The Marshall Islands, Palau, and Micronesia abstained. More»

It's hypocritical...plus, Americans want to go there

(NEWSER) - As President Obama slowly works on the Cuba travel restrictions, Delia Lloyd offers up 10 reasons the long-standing trade embargo should be overturned entirely. Via Politics Daily :

• It’ll make money: Americans will surely help Cuba’s tourism industry, and the US agricultural sector would benefit from fewer restrictions on exporting to Cuba.
• It’s hypocritical: If we’re putting economic pressure on Cuba in order to protest its human rights violations, why not do the same thing to similarly repressive regimes like China?

Will remove Bush's restrictions on cultural, academic trips

(NEWSER) - President Obama intends to peel back restrictions on travel to Cuba enacted under George W. Bush, allowing academic, religious, and cultural groups to more freely venture to and from the communist island. Obama already lifted the restrictions for Americans with relatives on the island in 2009, but is now returning in full to the broader “people to people” policy that existed under Bill Clinton, the New York Times reports. More»

Reminding us that the state itself was 'stolen from the noble Mexican people'

(NEWSER) - Cuba is getting in on the outrage over Arizona's illegal immigration crackdown. A declaration from the Cuban Parliament today declared solidarity with “those who're facing the brutal violation of their human rights” at the hands of “a law of deep racist and xenophobic nature,” according to the Cuban News Agency . Lawmakers argue that the law persecutes legal immigrants too, since it demands they carry documentation (something, the AP notes , Cubans are required to carry wherever they go). More»