Cubans will no longer need to apply for an exit permit if they wish to leave their country. Imagine needing to apply for permission to leave a country - contradicting the universal right to enter and leave any country, according to the U.S.Since the death of Castro, Cuba has made moves away from its old approach and towards a more free market economy. What will the new Cuba look like? What are the dangers in managing a transition to a "new" Cuba?
Why has the U.S. had so much historic controversy with Cuba while Canada has maintained an open relationship with Cuba? How have these two countries different approaches with Cuba affected the lives of Cubans?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-19972026
This is my weekly post:
ReplyDeleteThe new travel regulations will allow Cubans to leave the country without an exit permit, and extend the time they are allowed to stay abroad from 11 to 24 months, before needing to return to renew it. Of course there are special cases, such as scientists or military personnel, where the time is cut shorter and they are still prevented from leaving. Government critics will also experience difficulties as passport updates can be denied for “reasons of public interest defined by the authorities.” Cuban exile groups in the US have called the reform “insufficient” (1) and "nothing more than Mr. Castro's desperate attempts to fool the world into thinking that Cuba is changing". Also, the US is keeping in place their own travel restrictions for Cubans, so travelling form the Cuba to America wont be easy. (2)
Many consider this as more of media hype then an actual change. While it all sounds great on paper, and Cuba seems to be changing, it would be a real reform if it didn’t place restrictions on professionals. Cubans believe that the country can never truly change until the Castro family is out of power. (3)
Looking at this “reform” from a distance, it seems like Cuba is changing, but once you get into it it’s really not that big of a difference. It really does look like an attempt to pacify Cuban exiles and reformists.
(1)http://www.dublinnews.com/index.php/sid/210138470/scat/b8de8e630faf3631/ht/US-lauds-Cuba-decision-to-end-exit-permits
(2) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/cuba-to-florida-immigration_n_1974204.html
(3) http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/18/4242987/cuban-americans-eye-islands-travel.html