Obama administration relaxes travel restrictions to Cuba

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The White House continues to relax restrictions against the communist Cuban regime. President Barack Obama has directed officials to allow more flights to Cuba, and will let students and religious groups travel to the island.

According to the Oval Office, “these measures will increase people-to-people contact; support civil society in Cuba; enhance the free flow of information to, from, and among the Cuban people; and help promote their independence from Cuban authorities.”

Americans will also be able to donate more money to Cubans on the island. The new rules will allow for businessmen to send $500 per quarter to non-family members in Cuba.

However, many Cuban-American refugees aren’t happy with the plan, which they say only allows more U.S. dollars into the island, propping up the regime of President Raul Castro, the younger brother of Cuban revolutionary and long-time Washington rival Fidel Castro.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is a refugee from Castro’s Cuba. Born in Havana, Ros-Lehtinen is now the most senior female Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, and chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She has been outspoken in her support for the U.S. embargo against Cuba, which she says will help bring down the communist government and return rule of law to the island.

Ros-Lehtinen believes the changes undermine American efforts to isolate Cuba, and won’t help foster freedom on the island.

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