Cuba Exodus Continues

[El Presidente]

 

 

 

[ha_banos]

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/crisis-deepens-cubans-scramble-migrate-by-any-means-2023-11-09/

 

 

[El Presidente]

6 hours ago, ha_banos said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/crisis-deepens-cubans-scramble-migrate-by-any-means-2023-11-09/

As it stands today, I could have a dinner in Miami and have 20 friends....all former Cuban factory managers, rollers, blenders etal attend. 

I could have a similar dinner in Havana and have 4 attend. 

Sadly, I cannot go to Cuba. As has been reported in media, a highly regarded retailer arrived in LAX and was barred entry because he visited Cuba after January 2021 (Cuba was added to terrorism states at that time). So as of the last year, I have to choose between visiting Cuba and visiting the USA. It certainly is a gut punch. 

[ha_banos]

11 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

As it stands today, I could have a dinner in Miami and have 20 friends....all former Cuban factory managers, rollers, blenders etal attend. 

I could have a similar dinner in Havana and have 4 attend. 

Sadly, I cannot go to Cuba. As has been reported in media, a highly regarded retailer arrived in LAX and was barred entry because he visted Cuba after January 2021 (Cuba was added to terrorism states at that time). So as of the last year, I have to choose between visiting Cuba and visiting the USA. It certainly is a gut punch. 

So the only people left will be the farmers/growers then. And those who have the govt in their pocket or plan old can't get out.

[El Presidente]

16 minutes ago, ha_banos said:

So the only people left will be the farmers/growers then. And those who have the govt in their pocket or plan old can't get out.

Plenty of farmers/growers have left as well. If they had the coin. 

[helix]

6 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Sadly, I cannot go to Cuba. As has been reported in media, a highly regarded retailer arrived in LAX and was barred entry because he visited Cuba after January 2021 (Cuba was added to terrorism states at that time). So as of the last year, I have to choose between visiting Cuba and visiting the USA. It certainly is a gut punch.

Interestingly, Canadians are I believe, the only country not effected by this and can travel to Cuba and the US without the visa problem.  

[El Presidente]

12 hours ago, helix said:

Interestingly, Canadians are I believe, the only country not effected by this and can travel to Cuba and the US without the visa problem.  

I believe that is correct. 

The exclusion to using the ESTA visa program has seen non Russian European tourists plummet. Losing large % of markets such as Spain, France, Italy, UK, Germany.....hurts. Let alone the Irish!  

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

I believe that is correct. 

The exclusion  to using the ESTA visa program has seen non Russian European tourists plummet. Losing large % of markets such as Spain, France, Italy, UK, Germany.....hurts. Let alone the Irish!  

Gotta love the Irish! Love Thin Lizzy. Love a cold Guiness Stout.

[Duxnutz]

12 hours ago, El Presidente said:

As it stands today, I could have a dinner in Miami and have 20 friends....all former Cuban factory managers, rollers, blenders etal attend. 

I could have a similar dinner in Havana and have 4 attend. 

Sadly, I cannot go to Cuba. As has been reported in media, a highly regarded retailer arrived in LAX and was barred entry because he visited Cuba after January 2021 (Cuba was added to terrorism states at that time). So as of the last year, I have to choose between visiting Cuba and visiting the USA. It certainly is a gut punch. 

How would they know? I didn’t think Cuba stamped passports if u ask? 
 

As a US citizen we’ve been toying going down there, and AFAIK you can still use the “people to people” visa reason? 

[El Presidente]

32 minutes ago, Duxnutz said:

How would they know? I didn’t think Cuba stamped passports if u ask? 
 

As a US citizen we’ve been toying going down there, and AFAIK you can still use the “people to people” visa reason? 

US and Canadian citizens run by different rules. 

You can imagine a situation where a UK resident wants a holiday in Varadero. He/she/they are advised by the travel agent (or a Google search) that it will impact taking their kids to the Disneyland in the future. 

They book Cancun/Dominican Republic etal instead. This is what is happening EU/UK side. 

For us Aussies, we generally fly to Cuba via USA. There are few other options. Passports scanned on entry. Passports scanned out. Cuba generally stamp upon request the touist card. 

However, when transiting back through the US, there is a hole as to where you have been. Questions are asked, luggage inspected. Lie, get found out (a quick look through your phone/laptop) and you won't be seeing the USA anytime soon. 

[NSXCIGAR]

5 hours ago, Duxnutz said:

AFAIK you can still use the “people to people” visa reason? 

No, "people to people" went away during the Trump administration. "Support for the Cuban People" is now the closest to it. That requires you to produce an itenerary of the full-time qualifying activities you participated in during your stay if requested by the OFAC or Treasury or whoever enforces it. No "tourist" activity is allowed and you can't stay in hotels. Also cannot buy alcohol or cigars as those are sold by the government. 

 

18 hours ago, El Presidente said:

...was barred entry because he visited Cuba after January 2021 (Cuba was added to terrorism states at that time)...

That is maddening. Very disappointing Biden has not removed Cuba from the list. Maybe once he's forced to seal up the border a bit more next year he'll seriously consider it.

[Salomones]

On 11/10/2023 at 1:02 AM, El Presidente said:

As it stands today, I could have a dinner in Miami and have 20 friends....all former Cuban factory managers, rollers, blenders etal attend. 

I could have a similar dinner in Havana and have 4 attend. 

Sadly, I cannot go to Cuba. As has been reported in media, a highly regarded retailer arrived in LAX and was barred entry because he visited Cuba after January 2021 (Cuba was added to terrorism states at that time). So as of the last year, I have to choose between visiting Cuba and visiting the USA. It certainly is a gut punch. 

You can get an second Passport. One for stamp Cuba, one for US.

[Rhinoww]

Passport scanning by the US is very sophisticated these days. I returned from Japan via DTW this week. My only interaction was a scan of my passport and face scan and they knew who I was and where I had been from the various flight manifests. There was not a single question asked of me, my wife or our two adult kids who all cleared separately. 

In order to avoid the US knowing you had gone to Cuba you would need to get to Canada on one passport -fly r/t from Toronto on that passport and then use another to enter the US. Quite a hassle for those outside of US/Canada which also requires two passports. 

[El Presidente]

 

2 hours ago, Rhinoww said:

Passport scanning by the US is very sophisticated these days. I returned from Japan via DTW this week. My only interaction was a scan of my passport and face scan and they knew who I was and where I had been from the various flight manifests. There was not a single question asked of me, my wife or our two adult kids who all cleared separately. 

In order to avoid the US knowing you had gone to Cuba you would need to get to Canada on one passport -fly r/t from Toronto on that passport and then use another to enter the US. Quite a hassle for those outside of US/Canada which also requires two passports. 

It would also require you to lie on your ESTA.  I don't know how much information Border Force has at its fingertips but I can only assume that they could find out whatever they wanted to in a matter of minutes. 

[Rhinoww]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

It would also require you to lie on your ESTA.  I don't know how much information Border Force has at its fingertips but I can only assume that they could find out whatever they wanted to in a matter of minutes. 

True. There is an awful lot of sharing between counties on plane manifests etc. Not worth the risks IMHO