Travel to Cuba: debate over US citizens travel to Cuba goes on

Travel to Cuba info
Spain, June 7, 2009

Travel to Cuba: there is a growing debate about the lift of the travel ban of US citizens to travel to Cuba.

It seems President Obama may soon have the dilema of signing or vetoing the lifting of the travel ban for US citizens to travel to Cuba.

It is estimated that, apart from Cuban-Americans, who can travel legally, around 40 to 60 ,000 US citizens travel to Cuba every year ilegally, through Canada or Mexico.

Estimates indicate that between one and three millions US citizens would travel to Cuba if the travel ban was to be lifted.

In the past, Congress has passed legislation that lifted the embargo, but President Bush threat to veto it actually stopped such legislation. A well-organized lobby group in Congress is struggling to have the ban lifted, while another one is struggling for exactly the opposite, which is to maintain it.

In the meantime, a travel company has just launched a website that includes a petition to lift it.

It remains to be seen what would President Obama do if he had to take that decision.

Lifting the ban may have political repercussions in the state of Florida, which is key for winning the electoral college and thus the presidential election.

Concerning the effects it may have in Cuba, some people argue it would give a financial boost to the Cuban government, who would monopolize the benefits of US visits, whereas others argue that US travelers would also benefit average Cubans, both economically and also opening their minds and informing them about democracy, human rights and what is going on in Cuba and around the world.

On the basis of principle, some argue, like Libertarians, that US citizens have the right to travel anywhere in the world, and the US government does not have the right to limit this freedom.

An interesting debate goes on.

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