Lift of Cuban Travel Ban During Lame Duck Unlikely
Travel to Cuba for US citizens is not in the cards for the foreseeable future. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard L. Berman, (D-Calif) decided not to buck conservative voices by making the proposal during the crowded and contentious lame duck session of the 2010 Congress. His expected successor, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., supports the ban, and would likely try to undo any progress made by Berman. Hence, without an end-run, the chances of passing a resolution allowing U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba soon is not very likely.
The Cuban government has not made lifting the ban easy. They are allied with Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, providing Chavez with military and counterinsurgency tactics and medical personnel in exchange for oil. As the Castro regime strangles its own people, the Venezuelan oil is being resold to provide revenue. Chavez remains anti-American and seeks to upset democratic apple carts in the Caribbean, using inexpensive oil to gain favor with Central and South American governments. The Government of Bolivia now seems to be squarely in their sights.
Cuba answered voices calling for economic and political reforms by putting them in jail. A massive round-up was made in 2003. Short sentences for speaking in public parks turned into 30-year terms. Raul Castro finally agreed to release the last 52 prisoners this year. As a condition of release, the prisoners went into exile in Spain. Thirteen prisoners refused to leave. One of the 13 was finally released a few days ago based upon “humanitarian” grounds. Likely, the government is working to see if they can "convince” the others to leave.
Many Americans travel to Cuba despite the ban. The process is easy. Simply travel to Mexico and hop a flight straight to Havana. However, the US government has its sources. Greg Gladden, a Houston attorney, helps them negotiate hefty fines and potential felony charges for surprised vacationers who thought they could thwart the law with impunity.
Meanwhile, for the 18th year in a row, the United Nations has encouraged an end to the Cuban Embargo. The U.S. is now in an odd position. Cuba is opening up to privatization giving investors in some countries an opportunity to participate in the eventual prosperity and tourist industry. At the same time, as Cuba pretends it is advancing democratic principles, it is silently working with anti-democratic forces towards destabilizing democracies throughout Latin America.
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