Treasury Department Does Not Let Me Travel To Cuba Where are my human rights?

[tonydatiger 0]

Edit: Sorry about the typo in the topic if a moderator could please fix that.Did you know that it is not the Cuban government who does not let American citizens travel to Cuba?Well, now you do. It is the United States treasury department who does not allow American citizens travel freely to Cuba without restrictions. In order for a CUBAN-AMERICAN (not just any citizen) to travel to Cuba you have to request a permit from the Treasury with a valid reason to travel and only every 2 years(family emergency etc.) OR, if you rather go the illegal way, through another country, this way the U.S. Government has less chance of knowing that you traveled to Cuba thinking that you didn't leave that middle country (Cuba does not stamp your passport, heck, they appreciate our tourism). So the U.S. must have its "reason" for this, but I truly see no logic behind this. I can not travel to my country, get in touch with my roots, visit my family, or anything of the sort freely without being worried that I might get caught and have to pay up to 4K in fines. So I can travel to Iran, North Korea, and China, but I can't travel to Cuba. I hate having to ask for permission to go, unfortunately this summer I'm going, and I had to ask for a permit. Where are my human rights?

Edited June 7, 2007 by tonydatiger (see edit history)

[FLaKes 0]

I think its because the United States doesnt like Cuba, by you visiting Cuba as often as you like you would be giving money to one of the most hated countries by the United States government. Just come down to Mexico and you can go across.

[jlhaslip 4]

It has something to do with the Bay of Pigs Affair back in the early 60's when Cuba was about to allow the USSR install some Nuclear Missiles in Cuba... It darn near created a war which would've been a BIGGIE. At the time, the United States and USSR were the only countries with Nukes and the USA was downright offended by the potential presence of another country's Nuclear arsenal being so close. And at the time, the USA was on a big push to fight the possibility of Communism taking over the World. The USSR was the Communist power house at the time, and Cuba is still a Communist State, so the USA placed embargos against Cuba for both of those reasons. Canada did not, so us Canadians are able to travel to or from Cuba with no difficulties.

[Mich 0]

It has something to do with the Bay of Pigs Affair back in the early 60's when Cuba was about to allow the USSR install some Nuclear Missiles in Cuba...

hmm, it was the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of 1962 that you are describing. Bay of Pigs was a USA 1961 invasion in attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, which I might add failed. Anyway, both events did cause a mutual dislike between Cuba and USA. Why the Treasury Dept is involved, I am clueless.