Today I received an email from a staffer at the Washington Office on Latin America, informing me about HR 4645, a bill that would eliminate the travel ban to Cuba for U.S. citizens and increase U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba. The bill is currently in committee in the U.S. House of Representatives but is expected … Read more
The young Latina leaned against the door jamb, disinterestedly watching tourists stream past. Her four-inch stilettos, strapless bustier, and leather hotpants suggested the oldest profession on earth, yet she stood in the doorway of a family-owned bodega where Ybor City’s residents gather each day to sip strong espresso, share gossip, and slam dominoes. Unlike Miami … Read more
Standing at the end of Whitehead Street in Key West, I lean against the giant buoy that marks the southernmost point of the U.S. and gaze across a blue-green Atlantic. I squint in the late afternoon sunshine, searching the pale pink haze at the horizon for any sign of land. Cuba is just 90 miles … Read more
I just finished watching a 26 minute video where Senator Mel Martinez of Florida sets forth the reasons he opposes easing travel to Cuba. He provides an interesting historical overview, explaining that President Eisenhower was the first to place trade sanctions on Cuba, banning the selling of sugar, oil, and guns in response to Castro’s … Read more
For years I have dreamed of traveling to Cuba. My desire may have originated with the movie Havana, which starred Robert Redford, but since then I have become even more intrigued upon seeing photos of streets filled with 1950’s and 1960’s era cars and hearing stories of the wonderful music that emanates from bars and … Read more
