US lawmakers seek reason for Beyoncé Cuba trip

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

US lawmakers seek reason for Beyoncé Cuba trip
07 Apr 2013
WASHINGTON (AFP)

Two US Republican lawmakers want to know if popular American pop star Beyonce and her husband, rap singer Jay-Z, had the US government's permission to travel to Cuba despite an economic embargo.

Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida on Friday sent a letter to Adam Szubin, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Treasury Department, requesting information on the type of license Beyonce and Jay-Z had received before traveling to Cuba.

"As you know, US law expressly prohibits the licensing of financial transactions for 'tourist activities' in Cuba," the pair wrote.

They went on to say that these restrictions were in place because the Cuban government was listed by the US State Department as one of four state sponsors of terrorism and has "one of the world's most egregious" human rights records.



Read more: http://www.afp.com/en/news/topstories/us-lawmakers-seek-reason-beyonce-cuba-trip

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Earlier post from the Latin America forum by flamingdem, re: the trip, with photos:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/110812191

[Judi Lynn]

1. For anyone unaware of US travel to Cuba, see this excerpt from the article:

Americans are not allowed to visit Cuba and spend money there unless they have special US government permission.

According to regulations posted on the Treasury Department's website, "unless authorized by a general or specific license, any person subject to US jurisdiction who engages in any Cuba travel-related transaction violates the regulations and may be subject to penalties."

Criminal penalties for violating the regulations could result in up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in individual fines.

Thousands of Americans nevertheless visit Cuba every year without US permission, often via third countries. But back home they are rarely prosecuted for their rule-breaking unless they flaunt their defiance of the rules.

[dipsydoodle]

8. You can't spend US$'s there anyway.

It's illegal for their population to be on possession of since Bushy Boy accused Fidel of money laundering.

[Socal31]

34. Splitting hairs, really.

This ancient embargo needs to end. This is what Obama should be using political capitol on, not measures that won't even move beyond the Senate, let alone the House

At some point your USD has to be converted, which means you are still putting your resources into theirs. Why this is "illegal" is beyond me. Nobody should be able to tell me I can't sit on a Havana beach with a glass of rum and a cigar, or attend a local baseball game (AKA: MLB farm league).

This silliness has to end.

[dipsydoodle]

35. There's a 10% surcharge for changing US$'s into Cuban CUC's

which doesn't apply to the other currencies. As such any Americans travelling there are better off taking Canadian Dollars, Euros or Sterling.

Wouldn't bank on credit cards issued by US banks be accepted there either.

This , from 2004 when the changes were made, actually contradicts what I'd said about possession :

http://en.mercopress.com/2004/10/26/cuba-bans-us-dollar-transactions

It may be that possession of readies was tightened up after that. They are still allowed to hold US$ banks accounts which are not physical cash anyway.

[freshwest]

2. Gee whiz. I'm glad they took care of all the rest of the nation's business before they went on this

particular wild goose chase...

Who's kidding who here?

[msongs]

3. unlike some US politicians, Cuba is not murdering women and kids via drones nt

[Ash_F]

4. These pubs may have just unlocked normalization with Cuba

By bringing Beyonce into it, Americans might actually pay attention.

[DFW]

5. I know someone who goes there all the time

She imports contemporary Cuban art, arranges for the artists to visit the USA on a regular basis, etc. She gets all her documents (from both countries) in order before going each time, but doesn't seem to have any difficulty with either end.

When I was there, it was at the invitation of the Cuban government, but that was before Reagan rammed through the restrictions during his first term. In those days, if it was cool with the Cubans, the USA had no problem with visits for cultural reasons.

Ironically enough, I'd bet that there is some serious lobbying from some wealthy Republicans to end the embargo. Hotel chains like Marriott are missing the boat where French Meridien, Scandiavian Radisson and other top chains are scooping up the top locations for resort hotels. If they find some serious offshore oil or gas fields, you can bet Exxon won't want to let Shell, BP and Gazprom have them to themselves.

[Paul E Ester]

14. I imagine the US corporate locusts are upset they cannot pick the island clean, yet..nt

[DFW]

21. That's my point

The "anti-kommanist" battle cry is already fading rapidly. It's not as if there is some kind of Soviet juggernaut still lurking around, and Fidel has withdrawn pretty much from the scene anyway.

Yes, the repressive regime is still in place, but big deal. No invasions of American territory threaten to be launched from Cuba's shores (as if any ever were). We do plenty of bizi with enough repressive regimes, so that isn't the only sore point, either.

So what advantages does the United States have by keeping the embargo in place? None that I can discern. Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd suspect that foreign hotel chains and energy development firms were bribing our Republicans to keep the embargo in place as long as possible. That way, any attempt by US economic interests to gain a hold there will be too little and too late by the time the embargo is dropped.

It's what I'd do in their place. They get to exclude US interests from competing for a little while longer, and the Republicans get that which they covet most (money). It's an embargo made in Republican heaven. The only thing left will be to see if those Republicans in the pockets of the foreign interests can stave off the Republicans in the pockets of the US interests from dropping the embargo. I don't even know what Democrats have taken what positions on the issue. I doubt that all of our Reps in Congress are completely immune to the lure of the buck, but I also doubt that many Democrats are opposed to lifting the embargo in any case.

[L0oniX]

25. "corporate locusts" Oh man LOL ...that is perfect n/t

[Sea Stories]

6. Repub concerns are mis-directed as usual

I'm a lot less concerned with Jay Z and Beyoncé going to Cuba than I am with politicians who favor the wealthy to the detriment of the poor, pander to religious-right neoconservatives, and who think that going to war for oil is a good idea. Besides, the U.S. stance toward our Cuban neighbors should have been changed decades ago. Their people would undoubtedly have suffered a lot less if they had used a more benevolent approach rather than the spoiled child throwing a tantrum, taking their ball and going home approach.

[MADem]

7. She is there as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador--not as a tourist.

Jesus, the GOP have google, don't they? Idiots.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. "the GOP have google, don't they?"

Both complaining representatives are Cuban-Americans, where one had been born in Havana and the other was a former Democrat turned rethug whose aunt was apparently Castro's first wife.

It is well past time to put the nonsense to bed. Fidel is no longer in charge. If the U.S. can normalize relations with countries who we were involved in "hot" wars with, then dammit, lets get on with this.

[John2]

12. Yeah, as far

as I'm concerned, they are transplanted Cubans, that were ran out by Castro. Now they apparently think they can dictate to us, where we can go and spend our money. Keep your Mafia tactics to yourself. They try to tell us who to vote for and who can vote. This is the United States. They need a good lecture on the history of this country if they want to lock horns with certain demographics that have been in this country ever since its beginnings. Beyonce and JZ are very well respected African Americans within this country. They can go where the hell they want.

[paleotn]

32. Well, if they do....

...maybe they should google Fulgencio Batista and shut the (bleep) up. Oh, that's right. They're Republicans. They probably be on Batista's side.

[Judi Lynn]

33. Many of the most prominent Cuban "exiles" here were part of Batista's government.

The father of Mario Diaz-Balart used to be first, an attorney for United Fruits in Cuba, which is now called Chiquita, then he became the Speaker of the House in Havana, then Batista placed him in his cabinet.

In Miami, the sons Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and Mario Diaz-Balart both became Congressmen.

Their father's sister, as already mentioned by another poster, was Mirta Francisca de la Caridad Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez.

[center]

Fidel Castro, Francisca de la Caridad Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez [/center]
Many, many others were either members of the government, moved to Florida, or were members of the families of people in the government, as was Cuban-American singer, Gloria Estefan's father a bodyguard for Fulgencio Batista, and some of the Cuban "exiles" who became terrorists against Cubans living in Cuba were either in the military or the police, etc.

Jeb Bush appointed the grandson, Raoul Cantero, who was born in Spain after Batista fled to Spain when Cubans threw him out, to the Florida Supreme Court.

It goes on and on and on, seemingly forever.

[John2]

10. First of all

I would like to know what terrorism does Cuba sponser? I also understand Americans, especially people with political agendas keep trying to get into countries like North Korea. Is there the same ban on Americans trying to slip into other countries listed as terrorist states? There were Americans that got trapped in Iran.

I also don't understand this law prohibiting private citizens of this country from traveling where ever they want and spending their money. These Repukes are definately getting under my skin with their nazi tactics. They can dictate to their own community. Beyonce and JZ can do what they want, this is not Cuba and certainly not 1865. We don't recognize dictators in this country, especially our Government.

[hack89]

11. Time to end the embargo. nt

[Crepuscular]

13. Long, long past time

to end the embargo, one wonders why this was not done the first month that Obama was in office.

[Paul E Ester]

15. Cuba is home to one of the most egregious human rights violations in the world

Guantanamo.

[flamingdem]

28. This of course is such a good point

it's often overlooked

[Paladin]

16. End the embargo tomorrow morning.

Enough of these hyper-conservative, Cuban-heritage, Rupub politicians from Florida, holding such a sway over U.S. foreign policy. The rest of the world has wised up as to Cuba, time for us to do the same......

[former9thward]

17. I was in Cuba in 1995.

Went there through the Bahamas. Upon return the customs people knew where I had been. They didn't care. They even let me keep the small amount of Cuban cigars I had brought back.

[The Wizard]

18. The Cuban embargo

has been in effect since 1960. The expatriated Cubans who fled the Castro regime are not getting their property back anymore than Europe's Jews got theirs back after the fall of Nazi Germany.
The only reason for the embargo today is the fear American politicians have about losing Florida's electoral votes.
In plain English, it's time to knock off the cheap shit.

[broadcaster75201]

19. She's carrying nukes *eye roll* nt

nt

[Wolf Frankula]

20. Have they nothing better to do with their time

and our money?

....

I guess not.

Wolf

[L0oniX]

22. Hey look at me ...I'm important and doing my job ...vote for me. n/t

[roody]

23. Go without permission! Permission

is for scaredy cats.

http://ifconews.org/

[Ruby the Liberal]

24. This Cuba embargo is beyond stupid

strawman bullshit from decades ago. Time to lift it and watch the flood of tourists wave in.

Shit on a stick - if we are so damn afraid of commies with human rights abuses - why aren't we embargoing China?

I would be the first one on a plane.

[MisterP]

26. useless LAX customs question #422 (cigars): "Are you *sure* they're not Cuban?"

[Judi Lynn]

27. Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba trip sparks questions over US trade embargo

Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba trip sparks questions over US trade embargo

The pair were greeted by big crowds as they strolled through Havana

James Legge
Sunday 07 April 2013



Pop power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce have caused a small furore over a fifth wedding anniversary trip to Cuba.

The pair were greeted by big crowds as they strolled through the capital, Havana, where they ate at some of the city's best restaurants, danced to Cuban music, walked through historic Old Havana and posed for pictures with locals.

But a long-standing US trade embargo against Cuba prevents most Americans from traveling to the Communist-ruled island without a license from the government.

And on Friday two Republican members of congress for Florida asked Adam Szubin, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, for "information regarding the type of license that Beyonce and Jay-Z received, for what purpose, and who approved such travel."

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart represent districts where there is a high Cuban-American population.

More:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/beyonce-and-jayzs-cuba-trip-sparks-questions-over-us-trade-embargo-8563261.html

[JI7]

29. another example of a stupid useless piece of shit law

[paleotn]

30. None of your damn business....

...how's that for a reason.

[idwiyo]

31. ... WHAT?!!

They went on to say that these restrictions were in place because the Cuban government was listed by the US State Department as one of four state sponsors of terrorism and has "one of the world's most egregious" human rights records.

Fucking really? OMFG, I didn't just read that, did I?

[Nye Bevan]

36. End the embargo. Give the Cubans a taste of capitalism

and they will want more.