Cuba Tears Down The Wall

[Count Bobulescu]

Given that we’ve had a thread running for a week now on the success or otherwise of Latin American Socialism, I find it astounding that none of the good “Comrades” hereabouts have seen fit to mention what is arguably the most significant development in Latin American Socialism since the Cuban Missile Crisis, that also happened early this week. Specifically, that Cuba has now lifted travel restrictions on it’s population. Well, almost. It would be remiss of PW to let the moment pass without acknowledgement.

The core of the change is that Cubans will not be required to to apply for an exit visa, and the obstacles to obtaining a re-entry permit are to be significantly lowered. Some restrictions still apply to doctors, scientists etc, in order to prevent a brain drain.

Can’t be that the lack of comment was for lack of information. The Irish Times carried the first piece below.

Lots of speculation that when Fidel goes so too will the greater philosophy. Neither the population nor the regime seems to have the stomach for it any longer. Commentators have noted that Fidel’s regular newspaper articles have not appeared since June, and he failed to call and congratulate Hugo Chavez on his re-election.

By virtue of the US wet foot/dry foot policy Cuban refugees receive preferable treatment vis a vis Mexican or other Latino's seeking asylum. Now, with an expected flood of migrants in January the US will be under pressure to modify that policy.


T

HE CUBAN government is to lift despised travel restrictions which have prevented millions of Cubans from leaving the communist island for more than half a century.
Instead of requiring a hard-to-obtain exit visa – the notorious white card – Cubans seeking to travel will in future require only a valid passport and an entry visa for their destination.
The announcement was made yesterday in Granma, the newspaper of the central committee of Cuba’s communist party. The paper said the changes would come into effect on January 14th and were part of an adjustment to reflect “current and future circumstances”. The paper said Cubans would also be allowed to spend up to 24 months abroad for those travelling for “personal reasons”.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...325340741.html


More.

Here’s a fifty minute radio discussion on the subject with a panel.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/20...l-restrictions


A short TV report.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin...ba1_10-16.html

An interview with a professor of Latino Studies

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin...ba2_10-16.html

HAVANA — For the first time since the height of the Cold War more than half a century ago, Cuba is giving its people the freedom to leave the country without government permission, scrapping the detested exit visa that kept many from traveling outside the communist nation for even a few days.
The announcement Tuesday came as blockbuster news on the island, where citizens were ecstatic at the prospect of being able to leave for a vacation — or even forever — with only a passport and a visa from the country of their destination.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...b8d_story.html

The changes reverse tough restrictions imposed in 1961 when the government tried to put the brakes on a mass migration of people fleeing after the 1959 revolution that put Fidel Castro in power.
The government said on Tuesday it would lift requirements to obtain an exit visa permitting departure from Cuba and a letter of invitation from someone in the destination country, putting an end to a process that Cubans complained was too time consuming and expensive, with no guarantee of final approval.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...89F01T20121017

[Binn Beal]

The policy of allowing emigration is a measure of the improved standard of living in Cuba and the decline in the US. After the revolution, had the government allowed free emigration, most doctors, academics and others of the old elite would have left the country and taken most of the necessary skills to keep society functioning.
There may be large-scale emigration but with employment prospects in the US so poor - even for maids and gardeners and other poorly paid jobs that Latinos are offered - and with the standard of living in Cuba relatively so much higher since the success of the revolution, the government may be calculating that emigration will not be so high.
Also, the victory of Chavez (or may I say the defeat of the US in Venezuela) has meant that Cuba can be sure of oil supplies - through the exchange of Cuban doctors for Venezuelan oil - for the immediate future.

[5intheface]

the most significant development in Latin American Socialism since the Cuban Missile Crisis

Let's not lose the run of ourselves completely, Count.

Certainly in travel terms, it's up there with the Hoover tickets fiasco but beyond that...

[gfmurphy101]

It will be very interesting to see how this pans out... if there is'nt a mass exodus it does say something about the 'developed world'
I wonder though would the Cubans be adverse to doing some kind of a deal where they could send us some consultants to work here in our hospitals, no doubt they would probably do it a lot cheaper than the leeches we have at the moment! While we are at it perhaps we could throw out all them robbing oil companies and ask Chavez if he would do a deal to extract the oil for us , probably get a better deal than we get at the moment from the robbing oil barons !

[Kev Bar]

What are our orders?

Do we laugh?

Do we cry?

[Count Bobulescu]

The policy of allowing emigration is a measure of the improved standard of living in Cuba and the decline in the US. After the revolution, had the government allowed free emigration, most doctors, academics and others of the old elite would have left the country and taken most of the necessary skills to keep society functioning.
There may be large-scale emigration but with employment prospects in the US so poor - even for maids and gardeners and other poorly paid jobs that Latinos are offered - and with the standard of living in Cuba relatively so much higher since the success of the revolution, the government may be calculating that emigration will not be so high.
Also, the victory of Chavez (or may I say the defeat of the US in Venezuela) has meant that Cuba can be sure of oil supplies - through the exchange of Cuban doctors for Venezuelan oil - for the immediate future.

Jeez BB if only I owned one o’ them Think Thanky thingies I’d make you boss. NOT.
Doctors, scientists and other educated types are to have more severe travel restrictions placed on them so that the country does not face a “brain drain”. Did you read any of the newspaper pieces at all at all?

[Count Bobulescu]

Let's not lose the run of ourselves completely, Count.

Certainly in travel terms, it's up there with the Hoover tickets fiasco but beyond that...

A fella is entitled to the occasional rhetorical flourish...................as for those hoover tickets........best deal goin..........whatever about comin back.

[Count Bobulescu]

It will be very interesting to see how this pans out... if there is'nt a mass exodus it does say something about the 'developed world' !

There won’t be a mass exodus because the financial obstacles are still high. A passport plus an exit visa still costs about 18 months average salary. Those getting out will be people with family overseas who can afford to bail them.

[Count Bobulescu]

What are our orders?

Do we laugh?

Do we cry?

Salute smartly and cheer the regime for its enlightened wisdom. It can do no wrong.

[5intheface]

A fella is entitled to the occasional rhetorical flourish...................as for those hoover tickets........best deal goin..........whatever about comin back.

In our day, the witches only had brooms.

[fluffybiscuits]

There won’t be a mass exodus because the financial obstacles are still high. A passport plus an exit visa still costs about 18 months average salary. Those getting out will be people with family overseas who can afford to bail them.

That is a crucial point there that you mentioned. As a result of such a policy those whom are still in Cuba and want to leave will more than likely leave people with the people who want to remain in Cuba. The brain drain would massively affect the Cuban health care system which they have carefully built.

[Count Bobulescu]

This is a Photo of a Photo Proving Fidel Castro Lives

Fidel Castro is alive, apparently. Venezuela's former vice president Elias Jaua produced this photo of the former Cuban President on Sunday in an attempt to dispel rumors Castro's health is failing, or worse. Some thought he was dead.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/globa...o-lives/58176/

[fluffybiscuits]

Raoul keen to show there is no flaws in the system....?