S.C. trade group sets up exports with Cuba

While even DUers continue to cling to their Cold War fantasies in order to justify their support for the Bush Doctrine on Cuba:

Sat, Jan. 10, 2004
The Associated Press

CHARLESTON - A trade delegation led by Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer signed a deal with Cuba for the export of $10 million worth of S.C. agricultural products.

The deal signed Thursday will mean new markets for S.C. products such as wheat, paper, chickens, turkey and supermarket products. Both sides hope to expand trade to include more products.

In return, Bauer and state Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Sharpe agreed to urge the state's congressional delegation to support lifting the trade embargo against the island nation of 11 million people.

... At least 34 states now export to Cuba, according to the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, a nonprofit group that provides research for U.S. businesses wanting to trade with Cuba.

More...
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/news/local/7678135.htm

but the Cubans in Miami cannot even go back to their home country to visit? How sad!

In fact, over 100,000 Miamicubans get on planes in Miami international airport and go to Cuba for a vacation, every year.

Americans can't do any such thing without OFAC authorization, which the W* admin cut drastically back.

There are also flights from NY to Havana, and LA to Havana -- but not for Americans!!!

This is the ultimate discrimination based on national origin!

Did you know that many Cubans fly from the island to visit relatives in Miami on a regular basis? Then they return home to Cuba.

The US media, State Dept. and Miami Batistianos would want you to believe that the only way for Cubans to leave Cuba is by raft or smuggled on a go-fast boat -- but that is far from the truth!!

20,000 Cubans per year are allowed to emigrate legally to US, many go to Spain and other countries, others just leave for a visit! If the media wanted you to know this, they would have reporters posted at US airports to interview people coming and going from Cuba. Instead, the planes leave late at night, to avoid protests.

TRAVEL BAN ON CUBA TIGHTENED: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

On March 24, 2003, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced amended regulations on travel to Cuba from the U.S. Though OFAC accepted comments on the regulations until May 23, 2003, there is no formal review process and the regulations go into effect with no real congressional oversight.

People to people travel category eliminated
The new regulations eliminate non-degree related educational travel to Cuba: the 2nd largest license category of travelers, which combined non-credit educational activities with people-to-people contacts. People-to-people travel was licensed by the previous administration, with the belief that such contacts between the two nations would promote American democratic ideals; this travel policy toward Cuba was modeled after the successful exchanges that took place between the former Soviet Bloc and the United States years ago.

Specifically, the new regulations abolish section 515.565 (b)(2) of OFAC’s Cuban Assets and Control Regulations. Effective March 23rd, “…specific licenses will no longer be granted to sponsor people-to-people educational exchanges to take individuals under their auspices on educational trips to Cuba unrelated to academic coursework.” (OFAC Report for Congress, updated April 22, 2003) The new OFAC regulations will be a major setback for universities, non-profit orgs, professional associations, museums, religious groups, American businesses, continuing education programs, etc.

Cuban American restrictions eased
The new regulations eased restrictions on the largest category of travelers: Cuban Americans. The definition of a close relative was broadened and the amount of cash remittances a Cuban American may carry to Cuba rose to from $300 to $3,000. The per diem spending limit for Cuban Americans was lifted entirely. Effectively, OFAC has eased conditions under which Cuban-Americans may travel and has narrowed them for most others. This leniency arises from the fact that a majority of Cuban Americans now support lifting the travel ban. Still, many Cuban Americans complain that getting permission for more than one visit--even in extreme cases like death in the family--is too cumbersome and cruel; often these visitors return home illegally, through third countries.

... Yet, loosened restrictions on Cuban American travel and remittances insure an increase in hard currency flow to the island. Thus, many analysts argue that the regulations changes amount to little more than cosmetic political payoff.

According to an analysis by the Lexington Institute, a conservative Arlington, VA-based think tank, “the administration has taken no enforcement actions against Cuban-Americans for violations of travel or remittances rules…, the treasury penalizes hundreds of other Americans for travel violations every year. The new OFAC policy is discriminatory; it allows the administration broad discretion (and makes it lack transparency), and frankly shows little logic in dealing with the Cuba issue. Ironically, the new policy is hurting those who need it most.”

More...
http://ciponline.org/cuba/travel/travelregsmemo_2003.htm