Cubaverdad

What Easing Cuba Travel Laws Means for Miami's Cuban Exiles
Amanda Abella
Published August 20, 2010 by:

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — In a move that could have Cuban exiles in Miami
rioting fairly soon, the Obama administration is considering easing
travel restrictions to Cuba. The move would keep intact a 50 year old
embargo against the communist regime but would allow opportunities for
students, professors, and researchers to visit Cuba.

President Barack Obama has said he wants to reach out to Cuba to promote
democracy by easing travel and financial restrictions. A decision would
be announced before the end of next week; however the Miami Herald
reports that political considerations could hold up the decision until
midterm elections.

There are close to 2 million Cuban exiles living in the United States,
most of which call Miami home. What would this legislation mean to a
group of people who many times sacrificed their own lives to flee from a
communist regime?

This is an issue close to my heart as my family fled Cuba in the 1960s.
When the Cuban Revolution took hold they lost everything and trying to
get out of the island to start a new life in America was an odyssey. I
had family members put in prison for speaking out against the government
and friends who have risked their lives for a better life in America. My
grandparents died without ever having gone back and my parents refuse to
set foot in their birthplace until there is freedom for all of its
citizens. So I, along with many other Cuban Americans, find ourselves
asking if the Obama administration's approach is the best one.

There seem to be two ways to look at this issue. The first approach is
that of the Obama administration: by easing restrictions the Cuban
community can see that democracy is the only way to run a country. This
would be the approach deeming the title wishful thinking. Sure, it would
be great if a non-military American presence in Cuba would help speed
things up on the road to a Cuban democracy, but we don't live in a
perfect world. Let us remember that Europeans have been visiting Cuba
for years and while they enjoy the wonderful beaches of Varadero and the
time capsule that is Havana, the Cuban government still oppresses its
people. Political prisoners have still died even when non-communist
visitors are enjoying the beauty of the island. Cuban-Americans have
also visited the island, granted with some restrictions in part by the
government, and while they drop American dollars visiting their families
Cuban citizens are allowed nothing. For this reason it may be naïve on
the part of the Obama administration to think that a few Americans can
change the situation in a country that has shown little interest in reform.

The second approach is that easing travel and financial restrictions to
Cuba for some Americans will only financially support a communist
regime. Is this approach bleak? Perhaps. However it is closer to the
reality of the situation in Cuba. Fifty years of dictatorship is not
going to change just because the American government decides to lift
some travel restrictions. It is also rather contradictory to an embargo
the Obama administration is claiming to keep intact. This is the
approach of many of the Cuban exiles living in Miami.The Miami Herald
also reports that several Republican and Democratic politicians oppose
the measure as it weakens the attempts to promote fundamental change in
Cuba.

Does Cuba need change? Absolutely. But financially supporting a regime
that has no interest in reform is not the way to go about bringing any
hope or change for its people.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5704996/what_easing_cuba_travel_laws_means.html