. Dear av2ts

Yes, there is a law, of course, but a very arbitrary law. So arbitrary and unfair that I know very old doctors that had to pay with 5 years of waiting and more and some of them could never leave (case Dr, Molina). A reasonable law would be one that says that you have to work for the Public Health System for 5, 10 years whatever and then be free to leave. In Cuba it does not matter how long a doctor has worked. They have to be in Cuba for 5 more years. No, I do not understand this “law” as well as you.

And the “law” that keeps apart children from their parents that desert? It is a punishment not a law. A law made by a dictator, please, let me doubt about how legal that law is.

The Cuban government does stop people from leaving. Absolutely. Go and check on the case of Dr. Molina (very, very old lady and doctor), Hector Palacios, Las Damas de Blanco , Yoani,. They refused them permission for leaving and coming back for political reasons.

I have to wait so long for leaving, months and months. I was afraid of not being able to. Do you think this is fair?

And for leaving, it is not enough a visa, you need an invitation letter. If you are planning coming back to Cuba you have to pay to the Cuban government for every extra month you stay in the foreign country ($$ 150 dollars). It is the law.

And the worst is that in Cuba I do not have the right to say that this unfair. I can not change the “law”. I can not say it because it means to be political persecuted.

I feel afraid even from here. I have my parents there, and I feel afraid of telling my name. I am not paranoid; I know how the things work in Cuba.

Cuba is a country without freedom.

Regards,

Canela, the reason some Doctors can not get up and leave is that there is a Law that says Doctors need to pay back the Cuban people for their free education before they are allowed to desert. The Cuban people can not just expect to pay thousands of dollars to eduate doctors for 8 years and then have them leave the country to practice in Miami. So you have to work in country for a while first. This is not unusual, many countries have such laws - and they are only fair to taxpayers. Everyone understands this very well. But the Government does not stop anyone else from travelling and leaving, as others from Cuba have shown here. There is a bureacratic process that perhaps needs some changes (there were Government officials saying that was next in line to be changed last year). But if you follow the procedure, you will be granted an exit visa.

Abel, you know that the doctors and other health workers have to wait for 5 year to leave the country (even with the visa and their expenses graciously covered by a friend). Some children has been apart from their parents for years (3 years is the norm) in the case that the parents are residents without permission in other country. They consider them traitors and do not let the children reunite with them. That is true. Dissident political activist are not allowed to leave the country if it is not a definitive leave.

Please, look on internet for the case of Dra, Hilda Molina. Look for Hector Palacios. Look for the Damas de Blanco. Look for the Cuban Political Prisoners, Look for Dr, Biscet. Look for Antunez. In Cuba you don not have freedom.

Alisa, I have been to Cuba. And like most who visit, the difference versus other Latin/Caribbean nations is striking in terms of their well educated, healthy, well clothed, well housed people and cities. They have simply taken a different path - one that yes, surely involves material sacrifice for their ideals. If the Cuban people want to switch paths that is up to them.

If Cuba had no medicines, no ambulances, no bandages as you say, then how does the US rank lower than them in many health care categories ?? Now yes, there are shortages at certain times on certain things we may take for granted. But the picture is not at all what you describe. Cuba's heath care is praised by all serious people who study such things, particularly for the cost. It is highly efficient and takes things like prevention just as important as the fancy latest technology or pill.

To say Cubans break into Gitmo because the prison conditions are better than their life, you must be joking. The handful of incidents like you describe only occur because Gitmo is US soil, and under our idiotic Cuba laws, we grant automatic US residency to people who touch US soil. Get rid of this huge inducement and people will not be risking their lives to get here.

Also. the Cuban Navy does not shoot anyone. There was one incident, where a boat was hijacked, but even then guns were not used. This is propaganda and lies.

And Cuba does not need "saving." They just want a fair shake at development like anyone else.

I am tryly amazed about some comments I have read here....eho said we Cubans can not go and come as we wish. I have personally done, and I am not a goverment official or anything like that. I just was invited by a friend, who graciously covered my expenses, and the country´s embassy gave me the visa. So, that we can not travel is a lie.
Second: Cuban navy stopping people fleeing the country, even killing them could be the funniest joke I have ever heard, if it was not so sad. That doesnt happen in Cuba. Please. People LEAVE the country to get better jobs, buy cars, and so. Nobody cares if they go or not. I invite you to come to Cuba, and I will personally ship you back so you can see the reality.
And about JFK: This country has improved A LOT during the the last 45 years, and for the better. You guys talk so freely about dictatorships, but first of all, we Cubans are happy here, at least the majority. We voted just like you did in elections. You suffered 8 years the George W. Bush dictatorship. The fact that you FINALLY came to your senses and elected somebody nice and smart as Obama, doesnt mean you are more or less democratic than us.

It is very sad to me that Americans accept a brutal and cruel dictatorship as an acceptable thing. That people commenting are so outraged by the violation of THEIR rights to not visit Cuba and ignore the fact that Cubans have no basic human rights proves that too many in this country have no ethics, morals or human decency. Add to this a lack of intelligence or knowledge when people like av2ts bring up Cuba's healthcare and education as examples of accomplishment.
It is apologists such as he that make those of us who KNOW what Cuba's healcare is like want to bang our heads against walls. It is people such as he that would support any tyrant without bothering to look into the claims that tyrant and his supporters make.
Let me tell you about Cuba's healthcare ... if an average Cuban goes to the hospital (his family has to take him since there are no ambulances) he must provide his own linens, bandages, food and medication. In very rare instances there is medicines but no hospital or clinic can be certain what they might have at any time, if anything. Same for pharmacies. The medications they do get are always expired meds from the tourist or party hospitals. Cubans who are not high up in the party must depend on family in other countries to send them meds. Otherwise they need dollars to buy at the tourist stores. The myth of Cuba's "free" healthcare is one of the most criminal lies forced upon the ignorant fools not just in the US but all over the world.
Please, people. Wake the Hell up. Cuba is NOT a paradise. It is a hell hole. The prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have it significantly better than the average Cuban. This is why Cubans try to break into the US base there. This is why they attempt a sea crossing even though the Cuban Navy has orders to shoot on sight.
And yet there are very useful idiots in this country that think US tourists will bring about some kind of epiphany. I guess Americans possess some magic that no other tourists have. Sorry Canada ... your tourists suck. Britain? No magic. Every other nation on the planet ... you are all losers. Only American tourists can save Cuba.
Seriously ... do you honestly believe this?

After 50 years of failed forced policies that have not worked against Cuba, it's time to transform our actions. Let's invade Cuba with human to human contact. See you in Cuba in 2009. Luis Moro, Filmmaker - www.EveryThingCUBA.com

HeckSpawn, first off, my right to travel is non-negotiable. But for Cuba to be the only place I can not travel to is just absurd. This is a country that has such a shared history, that has not hurt one American, is so vibrant, interesting... and close. Our entire policy vs Cuba is a travesty for us and Cuban people, not to mention a worldwide embarrassment (Latin nations are making their voice clear on that).

Second, we have not right to to ask anyone else about their "fully democratic elections" when ours are so flawed and our hypocrisy is so apparent. The US has not cared much about elections in China or Saudi Arabia. We are allowed to travel to Iran, to North Korea for god sakes.

Third, Cuba actually does have internationally observed elections. They get almost twice the participation we do. The Cuban people actually nominate their representatives. The vast majority of Cubans then vote for the entire list of Government preferred candidates (yes, it's a secret ballot). Very few spoil ballots, despite calls from Miami to do so.

Cuba detains those trying to leave because the US obliges it to under the only accord we have with them (migration). Don't we want every country to control their borders? But no one is shot or even arrested for any significant period.

The "change" you are looking at would have Cuba drop its Revolution, its Constitution its principles. They are socialist and anti-Imperialist because their people believe in those things.

None of this is to say that Cuba does not have their own weaknesses and problems - with democracy and human rights. But we need to end our policy of blockades, subversion and regime change if we expect an opening. Cuba is very complicated. They are bad at many of the things do well, but they also have solved many of our most perplexing problems (crime, employment, health care, education, justice, fairness..)

i just really hope that every thing will work out for the better and does not back fire on us but i think that it is good trying to settle things between us

Cuba is the only country on the ENTIRE PLANET for which people from the United States need a permission slip from the federal government to go for a visit. It's OK to go to Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, China and Vietnam without asking Federal Government Permission.

Why are the people of the United States denied so simple a right as to visit our neighbor? Who are we to lecture them or anyone else about freedom when we're not free to do that?