TresSugar

What You Might See If You Could Go to Cuba

TresSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:30:00 -0700

President Obama lifted travel restrictions for Cuban Americans a couple of weeks ago, and since then travel is booming. A 2004 Bush administration policy allowed US residents with family in Cuba to travel to the island only once every three years. Now, those with relatives are free to go. The general American population still must observe an all-out ban on travel.

There are signs that this might change. US officials held talks with Cuban diplomats in Washington DC this week, to discuss taking further steps to improve relations between the neighboring rivals. Permission for US residents to visit the island could come soon!

Still, you can't book your ticket today, so take a look at some scenes from Cuban life. These pictures are pretty, but it's safe to assume that life is hard for many people in this impoverished country. Source

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Front Page: Cuba Is Ready to Talk With the US

TresSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:30:18 -0700

Cuban president Raul Castro says he's ready to "discuss everything" with the US, including human rights, freedom of the press, and political prisoners. - CNN
President Obama unveiled his plan for high speed rail across the country. States will compete for funding. -San Francisco Chronicle
Ashton Kutcher beat CNN to become the first "Twitter millionaire," the first person with more than 1 million followers. - Fox News
Unlike other US presidents, Obama appears to be treating Mexico as an equal. - CNN
The only gunman caught after the Mumbai attack last November says his confession was coerced out of him. - Washington Post
A new poll shows that 75 percent of Texas would rather not secede from the United States. - Rasmussen Reports
Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle will not be getting a makeover. - Mirror
The only captured Somali pirate may face trial in New York for holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage. - Reuters

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Obama to Lift Travel Restrictions on Cuban-Americans

CitizenSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:30:19 -0700

The 1.5 million Americans with relatives in Cuba will soon be able to travel freely to Cuba and transfer money to their family members on the island. The Obama administration hopes that the ease in restrictions will help reduce Cuban dependence on the communist regime, eventually making way for political change.

Under Bush, Cuban-Americans were only allowed to travel to Cuba for two weeks every three years.

The administration will also allow US telecom companies to provide cell phone and television services to Cubans.

An official announcement will come later today. Do you think it sounds like a good plan? Should all Americans be able to travel freely to Cuba?

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Loco? US Lawmakers Meet With Fidel Castro

CitizenSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:30:39 -0700

It's not quite time to break out the cigars, but it looks like the US and Cuba may soon be friendlier neighbors.

US members of Congress met with longtime Cuban dictator Fidel Castro yesterday in Havana, sending a signal that we might see a drastic shift in US-Cuban relations. On Monday, the same members of the Black Caucus met with Castro's brother, and current Cuban leader, Raúl. The Congress members, including Barbara Lee of California, were in town visiting the Latin American School of Medicine.

A while back, 80 percent of you said you'd like to see Obama lift the embargo on Cuba. How do you feel about US leaders meeting with Fidel Castro?

Cubans Now Allowed to Build Homes With Their Own Money

LibertySugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Ever since he assumed power from his brother Fidel last year, Raul Castro, has rolled out some symbolic economic efforts that are changing the face of Cuba. The latest move allows Cubans to build their own homes using private money. It may sound like a basic right, but it's a big step for the country and aims to alleviate a housing shortage that was made worse with last year's devastating hurricane, which wrecked more than 1 million homes.

Up until now the construction of homes has been the responsibility of the government, but the state hasn't been fulfilling its yearly goal of building 100,000 new homes.

There is a catch to the new freedom, which Castro announced during a televised address, as there will be strict guidelines for the dimensions of proposed new dwellings. A shortage of building materials will also limit the number of people who are actually able to take advantage of the law change. Cement is offered for sale by the state, but other materials like stone and iron are only available on the black market.

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Cuba Hopes Obama Will Lift Embargo: Do You?

LibertySugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Leading up to the US presidential elections, 90 miles off the coast of Florida most people were rooting for Barack Obama. Now that he's won, Cubans hope that the new president will take steps to soften the 46-year-old US-Cuba trade embargo.

Way back in August 2007, then long-shot Obama got heat for saying he would meet personally with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Obama also called for unrestricted rights of Cuban Americans to travel and send money to Cuba. Rival Hillary Clinton said that policy should remain the same until a post-Castro government changes course.

Since President Bush made the embargo even more strident, Cubans would probably welcome even a modest retreat from the current policy.

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Would You Stay Home if US Couldn't Assure Safety of Travel?

LibertySugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Before the United States will vouch for the security of an international flight, the other country must allow the US to assess security at their international airports. Countries like Venezuela have refused to comply with the requirement put in place after Sept. 11, 2001. Thus the US will not vouch for the safety of flights to Venezuela.

The US issues various levels of travel warnings, ranging from a lack of guarantee to a complete regulation of travel. For example, the State Department has a list of countries that have conditions making them dangerous for visitors. The list includes the likes of Colombia, Kenya, Lebanon, Haiti, Israel, Philippines, Iraq, and Afghanistan. And if a US citizen or permanent resident wants to go to Cuba from the US or even a third-party country, he or she must qualify for and obtain a license first or face civil and criminal penalties.

Would you only visit places that get a clean bill of travel from the US government?

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Castro's Critics Ask Bush to Lift Embargo For Hurricane Relief

LibertySugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:45:00 -0700

Two prominent Communist dissidents in Cuba delivered a letter to the US Interests Section in Havana yesterday, addressed to President Bush. Marta Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca pleaded with Bush to ease the American ban on travel and money transfers to Cuba, after Hurricane Gustav left the country's buildings and electricity infrastructure damaged and many people homeless.

The letter explained:

Knowing how intransigent the Cuban government is about accepting help from your country . . . we ask that you permit American non-governmental organizations to help the region so as to soothe the suffering of its inhabitants.

Russia has already sent aid, welcomed by Cuban officials, hinting at a revival of traditional Cold War relations. Perhaps lifting the ban, an act of placing humanitarian over political interests, could also give the US a geopolitical advantage. After all, it would be a PR blow to the Communist regime when people in the US have to step in to help its own people.

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President Bush Announces New Policy on Cuba

CitizenSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:00:23 -0700

Moments ago, President Bush announced a landmark policy change with regard to Cuba. Americans will now be able to send cell phones to Cubans. It's a change that Bush hopes will encourage the new regime of Raul Castro to increase freedom of expression for Cuban citizens

The announcement was made in a speech intended to mark Cuba's 106th anniversary of independence. I'm a political speech aficionado, and don't usually cotton to the simpler prose preferred by Bush - but this one had the prints of a new scribe all over it. To see what he said, read more.

Bush said (and I'm paraphrasing closely, the text isn't online yet):

Now that Cubans can have cell phones, let's make sure they have the freedom to express themselves. Now that Cubans can buy DVD players, let's make sure they can watch movies made by Cuban artists who are allowed to speak freely. Now that Cubans can buy computers, let's give them unrestricted access to the Internet. Now that they can buy toasters, let's make sure they don't have to worry about being able to afford bread to put in it.

I thought it summed up the dichotomy of the advancing freedoms and the work left nicely. Now that the change has been announced, the administration is waiting to see if Cuba will allow the phones to enter. The White House was careful to say that the change is not a loosening of the US economic embargo against Cuba, but a change in regulations. Is this a step in the right direction? Are cell phones the answer to building a new relationship with Cuba?

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Radical Raul? Cuba Commutes Death Sentences

LibertySugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:00:48 -0700

Raul Castro has commuted all but three death sentences handed down in Cuba. Every death-row inmate, besides three convicted terrorists, will now face 30 years in prison, instead of death by firing squad.

Raul, who officially took over for his brother Fidel Castro this past February, said that humanitarian concerns, not international pressure, motivated his decision. He quickly maintained that the death penalty still remains on the books.

Raul, who also announced the first Communist Congress in over a decade, has been showing signs of pragmatism and reform since taking power. He lifted a ban on electronics sales, and Cubans can now stay in hotels designated for tourists. Many other freedoms, such as the right to own property, are still forbidden.

The US has found itself in a curious position with its North American neighbors when it comes to the death penalty. To see how, read more.

Suspected murders sometimes flee to Mexico or Canada, because those countries will not extradite suspects unless the death penalty is taken off the table. A recent example? Marine Cesar Laurean, accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and fellow Marine, fled to Mexico and therefore saved himself from a death sentence.

Now Cuba, a country the US criticizes for its human-rights record, has decided to join the majority of countries that reject execution. Does this latest development shine Cuba's human-rights image, while bruising America's? Do you think humanitarian concerns or international pressure, could ever motivate America to reconsider death sentences?

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