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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Travel to Cuba Soars Under Obama

State Department relaxes interpretation of the law

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(Newser) – Travel between the US and Cuba has soared this year, thanks to the Obama administration. The president hasn’t officially changed any policies regarding Cuba, but permission to travel in or out is suddenly a lot easier to come by, applicants tell the Miami Herald. Joan Brown Campbell, Elian Gonzalez’s church lady friend, couldn’t get permission to fly to Cuba for four years in the Bush era but got the OK right away under Obama.

She also got permission to bring back seven academics. “This was very unusual,” she says. Applicants normally stand in long lines and wait months to receive visas. “I have been doing this for 35 years, and this was a shock to me.” The State Department says there hasn’t been any policy change, public or otherwise. “We’re just saying we are going back to what’s on the books," says a rep. "There is still a full review of every application.”

Flights arriving from Havana are shown on a monitor at Miami International Airport Monday, April 13, 2009 in Miami.
Flights arriving from Havana are shown on a monitor at Miami International Airport Monday, April 13, 2009 in Miami.   (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
A man carries a bag after arriving from U.S. at the Jose Marti airport in Havana, Tuesday, April 14, 2009.
A man carries a bag after arriving from U.S. at the Jose Marti airport in Havana, Tuesday, April 14, 2009.   (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
In this April 14, 2009 file photo, a woman is welcomed by relatives after arriving from U.S. at the Jose Marti airport in Havana.
In this April 14, 2009 file photo, a woman is welcomed by relatives after arriving from U.S. at the Jose Marti airport in Havana.   (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)
A woman, center, and her baby are welcomed by relatives after arriving from U.S. at the Jose Marti airport in Havana, Tuesday, April 14, 2009.
A woman, center, and her baby are welcomed by relatives after arriving from U.S. at the Jose Marti airport in Havana, Tuesday, April 14, 2009.   (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
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I think they want to be careful in this arena, and let's face it, this arena is a minefield. This is not a rumba. This is a danzón: very small steps.
- Silvia Wilhelm, head of the Cuban American Commission for Family Rights

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8 comments
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objectivemind
Oct 5, 09 2:10 PM CDT
Guess the US is just catching up with the rest of the world who has been going there forever for holidays, etc. Reply
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+12
IN RESPONSE:
Reader64481089
Oct 5, 09 2:18 PM CDT
Well we can see how well the long history of "sanctions" against Cuba actually worked, the made Castro stronger enabling his rule probably many more years than he normally would have survived due to the backing he received from countries such as Russia among others. Travel should have been allowed long ago.
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+6
proud_prude
Oct 5, 09 2:28 PM CDT
I'rn waiting for Silencedogood and Stopthepresses to tell us why it rnade sense for every other adrninistration to open up to Cornrnunist China and Vietnarn but not for Obarna to do it with Cuba. Reply
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+4
IN RESPONSE:
Timinator2K
Oct 5, 09 2:45 PM CDT
Good idea to open up Cuba...it'll hasten the communists fall.
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+3
IN RESPONSE:
rajanKazhmin
Oct 5, 09 2:49 PM CDT
So, Tim, you agree the sanctions were a failure? I think you just agreed with Obama by accident. Does it hurt?
Vote up! Vote down!
+5

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