Praise, skepticism as Cuba eases travel rules

Posted on Tuesday, 10.16.12

Praise, skepticism as Cuba eases travel rules
By PETER ORSI and ANDREA RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press

HAVANA -- For the first time since the height of the Cold War more than
half a century ago, Cuba is giving its people the freedom to leave the
country without government permission, scrapping the detested exit visa
that kept many from traveling outside the communist nation for even a
few days.

The announcement Tuesday came as blockbuster news on the island, where
citizens were ecstatic at the prospect of being able to leave for a
vacation - or even forever - with only a passport and a visa from the
country of their destination.

"Wow, how great!" said Mercedes Delgado, a 73-year-old retiree.
"Citizens' rights are being restored. ... Let's hope this is a
breakthrough to keep returning the rights that they have taken away from
us."

The decree still allows Cuban authorities the ability to deny travel by
many Cubans for reasons of defense and "national security," suggesting
that dissidents may continue to face restrictions. So will doctors,
scientists, athletes, members of the military and others considered key
contributors, as well as those who face criminal charges.

An end to the hated exit visa had been promised since last year by
President Raul Castro as part of his five-year reform plan. Analysts
called it the latest and biggest step in a gradual relaxation of
restrictions on things like opening private small businesses, owning
cell phones, staying in tourist hotels and buying and selling homes and
cars.

"It's an important step forward in human rights, the ability to travel
outside of your country without the government's permission," said
Philip Peters, a longtime Cuba analyst at the Virginia-based Lexington
Institute think tank.

"It eliminates a horrendous and offensive bureaucratic obstacle to travel."

Starting Jan. 14, Cubans will no longer have to apply for the costly
"tarjeta blanca," or "white card," ending a restriction in place since
1961, the height of the Cold War.

The measure also extends to 24 months the amount of time Cubans can
remain abroad, and they can request an extension when that runs out.
Currently, Cubans lose residency and their rights to property, social
security, free health care and free education after 11 months overseas.

Announced in the wee hours in the Communist newspaper Granma and
published into law in the official Gazette, word of the change spread
like wildfire Tuesday and was the talk of the streets and office
buildings. Islanders greeted the news with a mixture of delight and
astonishment.

"This is huge news. Everybody has been waiting for it for a long time,"
said Bertina Rodriguez, a 47-year-old office worker. "Because it's a
kind of opening, even if I think they're doing it so that people can't
say this is a place where they keep people locked up."

"I heard from my cousin who phoned from the United States," said Beatriz
Suarez, a 35-year-old Havana resident. "She's all worked up about this."

Besides the exit visa, the new policy also eliminates the need for a
letter of invitation from an institution or person in the destination
country.

"These measures are truly substantial and profound," deputy immigration
chief Col. Lamberto Fraga told a morning news conference. "What we are
doing is not just cosmetic."

Still, Fraga said some people remain restricted to combat the brain
drain that has already led many of the island's young and talented to
leave for economic reasons.

"These professionals are going to require authorization to leave," Fraga
said.

Peter Orsi is on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Peter-Orsi

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/16/3052014/cuba-scraps-exit-visa-requirement.html