Will a “Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act” Lead to Freedom in Cuba?

Ray Walser / April 01, 2009

Four members of the U.S. Senate on March 31 introduced S. 428S, “The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act.” A similar measure will follow in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, as legislation goes, is quite simple: it forbids the President to “regulate or prohibit, directly or indirectly, travel to or from Cuba by United States citizens or legal residents,” and repeals all previous travel restrictions.

Ultimately most arguments for lifting the travel ban [and the trade embargo which is clearly the real target of many in Congress] blame the U.S. for the pesky persistence of communism in Cuba. They assume that 1) since restrictions have failed to change Cuba in 50 years, being nice will; 2) lifting prohibitions will deprive the Castro regime of its justification for repression, 3] waves of free spending U.S. visitors will open doors for real democratic change, 4] abundant commercial opportunities will emerge, and 5] all of Latin America will like us more once we quit hectoring Cuba for its totalitarian practices. (more…)