Thursday, September 4, 2008

Dissident leaders to Bush: Suspend travel, remittances, gift parcel regulations

Dissident leaders Martha Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca have written President Bush to ask that he suspend for two months U.S. restrictions on Cuban American visits, remittances, and gift packages, so families can freely help relatives harmed by Hurricane Gustav. AP story here.

Their position coincides with Senator Obama’s and with that of Miami Congressional candidates Raul Martinez and Joe Garcia, and is at odds with that of Cuban Americans in the House and Senate.

“You know as well as we do that any family member abroad would like to have physical contact with those who are going through a difficult situation,” they said. “We ask that you, at least, for a period of two months, lift the embargo restrictions that have to do with relations between Cubans in exile and those that live on the island, regarding remittances, gift parcels, and trips.”

[Update: the Christian Liberation Movement, led by Oswaldo Paya, issued a statement calling on “the governments of the United States of America and of other countries with large groups of Cuban residents, to eliminate all restrictions that hinder the sending of aid to their affected brothers in Cuba.” It also called on the Cuban government to allow aid to be received without restriction.]

9 comments:

  1. Let me help my family dear USA! My tio needs my help , but Bush and the miami clan (whom dont' have family there!) try to stoppe mi and my derecho to see my flesh and blood in time of need.

    God bless those exilos looking out for real Cubans.

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  2. I agree with what Roque and Roca are asking for in their letter. Just what Payá, Obama, Martinez and many others are also asking the Bush administration. Will someone listen over here?

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  3. Now is the time to tell Raul, Russia sent 4 planes , we have 8 full of supplies, ready to land. If he says: "OK, but will be distributing it" , lets tell him perfect. I don’t think clothing , food, water and stuff like that will help the Cuban army that much, in the event they keep the help for themselves ( i dont think so) specially these days when a big deal of what you pay in US gas stations goes straight to Havana just passing through Caracas. Symbols are more important, let’s show the Cuban people the US is with them not matter what the circumstances are.
    Which one is more devastating, this one or Burma?
    Lazaro del Valle
    Director
    cubanosenlasvegas.com

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  4. I forgot to write:
    If he says: “NO, we dont want your help” . Well, that will be very bad propaganda for Raul.
    Sending the planes is a WIN-WIN move for the US.
    Lazaro del Valle
    Director
    cubanosenlasvegas.com

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  5. peter, ya estas preparando la caravana , a ti fidel te deja entrar de eso estoy seguro, lleva mucha ropa , medicina y casetas de campaña

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  6. this one is worse than Burma

    los Estados Unidos son muy generosos " con sus amigos verdaderos"

    1 BILLION DOLARES IN AID TO GEORGIA

    YES

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  7. “You know as well as we do that any family member abroad would like to have physical contact with those who are going through a difficult situation,” they said.

    Really? where does that happen? When a major hurricane strikes other Caribbean islands or Central America, do we see a flood of expatriates heading home into devastated areas, with likely no water, no electricity, no food? I don't see hundreds of Haitians heading back to Haiti right now. No, what they do is channel aid through established relief organizations who can do a far better job getting relief to those who need it most. U.S. policy doesn't prevent that, so everyone stop being so transparent in trying to exploit this situation for narrow political purposes.

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  8. Really? where does that happen?

    happens all the time anoy right above.. sorry you just don't have real cuban heritage (or family left back in cuba)

    gusano.

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  9. "all the time" huh? Sorry, gusano, but I'm not going to just take your word for it.

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