Bush to crack down on American travellers to Cuba

[2-0-Sixx]

Bush to crack down on American travellers to Cuba

Last Updated Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:00:29

WASHINGTON - U.S. President George W. Bush said he will crack down on Americans illegally travelling to Cuba in an effort to hasten the downfall of Fidel Castro's regime.

"Our country must understand the consequences of illegal travel," Bush said at a White House Rose Garden ceremony, adding that tourist money only helps to prop up Castro's government.

U.S. law forbids Americans to travel to Cuba. Bush said he would also target U.S. citizens who travel to Cuba through other countries.

Bush said he would establish a commission, which would include Secretary of State Colin Powell, "to plan for the happy day that Castro's regime is no more." But he offered few specifics about the commission.

Many Cuban Americans living in Florida have criticized the Bush administration for not doing enough about Castro. Castro has been in power since 1959.

Some say Bush is eager to please his Florida constituency, an important vote-getting state in the 2004 presidential election.

Bush said the administration would also improve the way it identified Cuban refugees, making it easier for them to settle in the U.S.

He said he would work to provide Cubans with improved access to information through radios and the Internet.

"Clearly the Castro regime will not change by its own choice. But Cuba must change," he said.

 

[nefar559]

US to tighten Cuba sanctions
US President George W Bush has announced fresh measures designed to hasten the end of communist rule in Cuba.
They include tightening an American travel embargo to the island, cracking down on illegal cash transfers, and a more robust information campaign aimed at Cuba.

Mr Bush said the punitive measures were being introduced because the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, had acted with "defiance and contempt and a new round of brutal oppression that outraged world conscience".

The speech - before members of the Cuban community at the White House - came as the 2004 election campaign gets under way.

Mr Bush's advisers know that fiercely anti-Castro Cuban exiles living in the key state of Florida might well be hugely important in determining whether the president holds on to power, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington.

His speech today will have secured some valuable votes, our correspondent says.

Robust enforcement

Mr Bush was speaking on the day Cuba celebrates the 1868 start of its quest for independence from Spain.

"The struggle for freedom continues," the US president said.

Mr Bush said the current Cuban regime, the only one-party communist government in the Americas, would never change its policies.


"The Castro regime will not change by its own choice - but Cuba must change," Mr Bush promised.
The new measures announced include:

Strictly enforcing an existing US law forbidding Americans from travelling to Cuba for pleasure.

Cracking down on illegal money transfers

Imposing controls of shipments to the island.

Aggressive campaign to inform Cubans of safer routes to reach the United States

Increasing the number of Cuban immigrants in the US.

More US radio, television, satellite and internet broadcasts to break the "information embargo" Mr Castro had imposed on his people.

Beyond the more immediate measures, the US president announced he was setting up a "Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba" to plan for the day communism would collapse.

Headed by the US secretary of state and the head of the department of housing, the new body would look ahead to the end of the regime.

International pressure

Secretary of State Colin Powell has been trying to enlist other nations in efforts to bring democracy to Cuba - and Mr Bush said more were joining.

In June, Mr Powell urged foreign ministers from the Organisation of American States meeting in Chile to join the United States in promoting a peaceful transition in Cuba.

Mr Castro ridiculed the idea, saying his country had a transition in 1959.


On Thursday, the head of Cuba's diplomatic mission in Washington said Mr Bush should "stop acting like a lawless cowboy" and "start listening to the voices of the nations of the world".
Analysts say the votes from the 400,000 Cuban-American community in Florida - a key state - could be crucial in the 2004 presidential election.

Mr Bush's relations with his supporters in Miami are said to have reached a low in July, when Washington returned 15 migrants to Cuba after receiving assurances they would not be executed for hijacking a boat.

The president's brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, criticised the decision.

Earlier this year, the jailing of 75 dissidents by the Cuban authorities drew international condemnation.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3181048.stm

Published: 2003/10/10 17:24:11 GMT

© BBC MMIII

 

[Mcleanhatch]

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=\ForeignBureaus\archive\200310\FOR20031010g.html

President Bush Announces New Cuba Policy
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor
October 10, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - President George W. Bush said he has directed his administration to start preparing for the day when Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is gone and Cuba can finally make the transition to a free and open society.

In what he called an important policy announcement, President Bush outlined three specific steps his administration is taking regarding travel, immigration, and planning for the future.

"Clearly the Castro regime will not change by its own choice," Bush told a gathering in the White House Rose Garden on Friday. "But Cuba must change," he added.

He said his new initiatives are intended to "hasten the arrival of a new, free, democratic Cuba."

First, Bush said, he has ordered his administration to strengthen enforcement of existing travel restrictions, which forbid Americans from traveling to Cuba for pleasure. The Cuban government - not the people - make money off U.S. tourists, he said.

He also accused the Cuban government of encouraging the illicit sex trade. "This cruel exploitation of innocent women and children must be exposed and must be ended," he said.

Second, Bush said his administration will increase the number of legal Cuban immigrants allowed into the U.S. each year. It will also launch a public outreach campaign to let Cubans know about "safe and legal routes into the United States." This will prevent Cubans fleeing the dictatorship from risking their lives at sea. "Our goal is to help more Cubans safely complete their journey to a free land," he said.

Third, Bush said, his administration will establish a commission to "plan for the happy day when Castro's regime is no more and democracy comes to the island." He said Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez will co-chair the commission.

"They will draw upon experts within our government to plan for Cuba's transition from Stalinist rule to a free and open society; to identify ways to hasten the arrival of that day."

Bush said America is not alone in calling for freedom inside Cuba. A growing number of countries now recognize the "oppressive nature of the Castro regime," he said.

Bush also said his administration will attempt to break the Cuban information embargo by expanding the distribution of printed, Internet and broadcast reports inside Cuba.

"Tyrants hate the truth. They jam messages," he said. "We're determined to bring the truth to the people who suffer under Fidel Castro."

Bush announced his new Cuba policy on the 135th anniversary of a Cuban battle to throw off colonial rule. "Today the struggle for freedom continues," he said, hailing by name some of the "brave dissidents" who continue that struggle.

Bush noted that last year in Miami, he offered the Cuban government "a way forward to democracy, hope, and better relations with the United States." But the Castro government refused Bush's demand for free and fair elections, free speech, and private enterprise.

"Since I made that offer, we have seen how the Castro regime answers diplomatic initiatives," Bush said on Friday. "The dictator has responded with defiance and contempt and a new round of brutal oppression that outraged the world's conscience."

Cuba's political prisoners are mistreated, Bush said - beaten, put in solitary confinement, and denied medical treatment.

"Elections in Cuba are still a sham," he continued. "Opposition groups still organize and meet at their own peril. Private economic activity is still strangled, non-government trade unions are still oppressed and suppressed; property rights are still ignored; and most goods and services produced in Cuba are still reserved for the political elite," he said.

To applause of the Cuban-Americans joining him in the Rose Garden, President Bush ended his speech with the phase, "Cuba libre."

 

[Mcleanhatch]

Wow that BBC article sure left out a few good points.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

"Tyrants hate the truth. They jam messages,"

 

[nefar559]

Wow that BBC article sure left out a few good points.

waht did it leave out? all the major points of his plan is there, including the election reason.

CNSNEWS left out the only reason BUsh is getting tough on cuba is becuase of the elections in 2004. WE saw what happen last time, he wants to make sure it doens't come close enough

 

[Mcleanhatch]

what were the numbers of Cubans in florida last time???

look republicans can count on Cuban votes as much as Democrats can count on Black votes and that wont change anytime soon.

 

[nefar559]

Wow that BBC article sure left out a few good points.

what did it leave out? all the major points of his plan is there, including the election reason.

 

[nefar559]

what were the numbers of Cubans in florida last time???

Bush wants their votes for the next election. Since most of the them (including those extremes cubans) dont like Bush becuase he really didn't keep his promises to them

 

[Mcleanhatch]

"They will draw upon experts within our government to plan for Cuba's transition from Stalinist rule to a free and open society; to identify ways to hasten the arrival of that day."

Bush said America is not alone in calling for freedom inside Cuba. A growing number of countries now recognize the "oppressive nature of the Castro regime," he said.

"Elections in Cuba are still a sham," he continued.

"Opposition groups still organize and meet at their own peril.

Private economic activity is still strangled, non-government trade unions are still oppressed and suppressed;

property rights are still ignored;

and most goods and services produced in Cuba are still reserved for the political elite," he said.

are any of these points in the BBC article??

 

[Mcleanhatch]

Bush wants their votes for the next election. Since most of the them (including those extremes cubans) dont like Bush becuase he really didn't keep his promises to them

they will vote for him regardless.

they still remember clinton and what the dems did to Elian.

they have always been and will always be republicans and vote as such.

like i said earlier he can count on their vote more than democrats can count on the black vote and that said alote.

 

[proppa]

lmao like cuba's the problem. its proppably 1,000 to 1 mexicans vs cubins living here illagaly.

he stupid for that shit.

 

[Mcleanhatch]

lmao like cuba's the problem. its proppably 1,000 to 1 mexicans vs cubins living here illagaly.

he stupid for that shit.

maybe even higher than 1000-1 because i huge majority of the Cuban Americns living here are here LEGALLY

 

[MEXCOM]

maybe even higher than 1000-1 because i huge majority of the Cuban Americns living here are here LEGALLY

HAHAHAHAHA what a load of shit. ALL Cubans living here are living here legaly, it's US policiy NOT to return Cubans, at least those that reach American Soil) back to Cuba because it's a communist country.

 

[Mcleanhatch]

HAHAHAHAHA what a load of shit. ALL Cubans living here are living here legaly, it's US policiy NOT to return Cubans, at least those that reach American Soil) back to Cuba because it's a communist country.

and they are here legally, they are Refugees who file for political assylum and are allowed to reside here LEGALLY.

 

[MEXCOM]

They don't file for shit! Shit if they all decided not to file anything the US government still would NEVER throw them back into communist Cuba.

 

[nefar559]

are any of these points in the BBC article??

its all slander!!! becuase they dont point the oppisiton side of the arguement, that is an example of bias

 

[nefar559]

they will vote for him regardless.

they still remember clinton and what the dems did to Elian.

they have always been and will always be republicans and vote as such.

like i said earlier he can count on their vote more than democrats can count on the black vote and that said alote.

no, bush made this plan to get him self re elected, and not some other republican that will promise the anti-castro cubans the same thing

 

[ColdBlooded]

Boring

This is about as good as a Cuba supporter could expect from Bush.

If i was a right wing ass hole or a criminally insane Cuban-American terrorist i would be upset with Bush.

This really isn't a shift in policy or a crack down at all.

If it was anything more than tokenism they would have never done it on a friday so it will be buried in the news by monday and they would have actually announced some major crack downs and policy shifts.

Instead they said they were just going to be harsher on things they were already supposed to be harsh on.

Bush is such a pussy.

 

[nefar559]

Re: Boring

This is about as good as a Cuba supporter could expect from Bush.

If i was a right wing ass hole or a criminally insane Cuban-American terrorist i would be upset with Bush.

This really isn't a shift in policy or a crack down at all.

If it was anything more than tokenism they would have never done it on a friday so it will be buried in the news by monday and they would have actually announced some major crack downs and policy shifts.

Instead they said they were just going to be harsher on things they were already supposed to be harsh on.

Bush is such a pussy.

but the annocement of this indicates that travel restictions are no where near the table? let alone the embargo.