Relations between the United States and Cuba over the past months have been caught in a downward spiral. They reached a new low last week as Bush Administration officials expelled 14 Cuban diplomats on allegations of espionage. Yet in the midst of this growing crisis, very important advances are being made in ending the embargo. For instance, members of Congress recently introduced bills in both chambers to end the ban on travel to Cuba. In order to ensure wide support, grassroots action on these bills is extremely important.

One of the most positive developments of the current congressional session was the formation of a Senate Cuba Working Group (CWG) in late March. The Senate CWG’s mission is to “examine U.S. policies toward Cuba, including current trade and travel restrictions,” and they believe that “the sanction policy of the United States has been ineffective since it was adopted in 1962.”

On April 30, Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY) and members of the Senate CWG introduced the “Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2003.” At press time, the bill had 11 co-sponsors. Less than two weeks later, the House Cuba Working Group, led by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), introduced a bill with identical language. The House version of the bill was introduced with 55 co-sponsors,
including all the members of the House CWG. If passed, these bills would lift all restrictions on travel to Cuba permanently.

Members of the two groups held a joint press conference May 14 to reiterate their rationale for pushing this legislation despite the growing tensions between the US and Cuba. Both conservative and liberal members mentioned that now more than ever, the US must change its policy in order to press for improved human rights conditions in Cuba.

The passage of the language contained in these bills, either as freestanding bills or as amendments to other bills, is especially important in light of a recent regulatory change that will further restrict travel by US citizens to Cuba. On March 24, the Treasury Department, the agency charged with enforcing the ban on travel to Cuba, announced the elimination of “people-to-people” educational licenses. When this measure becomes permanent on May 23, it will effectively end more than 60% of the legal, non-Cuban-American travel to Cuba.

The announcement was explained by the administration as a means to prevent “tourism” to Cuba. Travel groups and ordinary citizens expressed outrage over the change and reportedly overwhelmed the Treasury Department with negative responses during the 60-day comment period.

Rising Tensions

On the eve of a congressional press conference on May 14, the US government expelled 14 Cuban diplomats from the United States, in what many saw as a new low in the already-strained relationship between the two nations. The diplomats were accused of “inappropriate and unacceptable activities,” a common diplomatic reference to spying. The Cuban Foreign Ministry denied the charges and called the expulsions part of a larger administration plan to increase tensions and provoke a crisis.

According to a May 15th New York Times article, “the decision to expel Cubans was made ‘at the highest levels’ in the State Department and the White House, and the policy makers then turned to the bureau [FBI] for names of intelligence operatives, said the official, who asked not to be named.”

The expulsion of the diplomats was the latest in a series of events which have provoked rising tensions between the US and Cuba. In mid-March, 78 Cuban dissidents were arrested, tried and imprisoned on charges of conspiracy to harm the national security of Cuba. The charges rested on alleged collaboration with the US Interests Section in Havana. Less than ten days later, all were sentenced to lengthy prison terms ranging from 6 to 28 years.

The Cubans explained that, in their view, the charges were a direct result of American organizing, advising, equipping, and support of the dissidents. Moreover, they said, the actions of these dissidents were more akin to working for a foreign government – one whose stated policy is the overthrow of the Cuban government – than acting as a legitimate opposition.

Many human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, saw grave problems in the proceedings, issuing statements of concern over the trials’ summary nature and lack of transparency, the harsh sentences and the possible flaws in the evidence supporting the charges. (Both organizations called for a gradual end to the embargo as the best response to these human rights violations and others). Members of the LAWG coalition joined in these expressions of deep concern.

These groups and others also took issue with the summary trials and executions of three would-be ferry hijackers on April 12. Their summary trials and executions came less than a week after their arrest.

On a related note, the US-Cuban migration accords of 1994 require the US to provide a minimum of 20,000 immigration visas to Cubans yearly. So far this year, according to Cuban claims, fewer than 1,000 visas have been issued. They argue that this is creating pressure, which in turn leads to desperation migration attempts like the hijackings.

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TakeACTION!

Call your senators and representative! Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121. Message: “As a constituent, I urge you to co-sponsor and actively support the (Senate) Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2003, S. 950, or (House) Export Freedom to Cuba Act, HR 2071, which would return to the US people their constitutional right to unrestricted travel to Cuba. Now more than ever, broadening contact between our two peoples is the best way to build a more constructive policy and support civil society in Cuba