- For the first time in five decades, Cubans will no longer need an "exit permit" to travel. The change, which takes effect Monday, is part of a broader immigration reform by President Raul Castro making it easier for Cubans to go abroad — and also to return.
Good for Cuba. The need for en exit visa is proof positive that totalitarian regimes are all destined for failure. They basically say this: "We fully realize that on leaving this country you will be horrified to learn that the rest of the world doesn't suck nearly as bad as here, and you will likely a) not return; or b) return and try to convince your peers how awful we are. Therefore, we can only let those we trust leave." In Tsarist Russia, peasants couldn't legally travel more than 20 miles from their village without a special visa. Look how well that worked out for the royal family.
This is good news. Living as an American in Canada, I know A TON of people that vacation to Cuba often and freely, which makes me quite envious (in fact a friend of mine is there right now and won't stop instagraming amazing photos). I can't wait to visit. I've also never really considered the fact that Raul is quite old himself. We'll get there in no time :)
That's the best news I've heard all minute! And plane tickets are only, gulp, $1500 from Vancouver. Will have to save up I guess.
You'll be in heaven I mean... look at that thing.
Does this have anything to do with your love of water towers?
What will be really interesting is to see the changes that will occur after Raul leaves office. The man is at least 80 years old. I've talked with people of my grandparents generation that remember with fondness when Cuba was the "hot spot" to vacation at. It would be nice to have normalized relations, if nothing else... so I can vacation there. But yes, it needs a "revitalization" and a vibrant tourism industry could certainly help.
Thanks guybrush, I didn't realize it was still a large part of their economy. I have to imagine that it's no where near as robust as it once was, for obvious reasons.
It looks as though his son Alejandro is being "groomed" for the gig.
That is entirely accurate, but doing "surprisingly okay" for their situation isn't exactly what I would call good. I watched a documentary on modern Cuba a year or two ago and it was very poor. Crumbling tenements built 30 years ago, junker American cars from the 50s still in use today, nobody has enough food, the health system is good in theory, etc. All in the shadow of the booming tourism industry. They could be doing a lot better if restrictions on private enterprise were lighter and the embargo was over, the only people hurt by the embargo are the Cuban people.
I have a guy I work with that just went to Cuba. He said it's extremely poor. He was amazed by how much you could get with just a few dollars. His family is cuban and they all resent the shambles that the country is in. While guybrush is right that it is amazing that they've done as well as they have in spite of the US embargo, imagine what a better quality of life they would have if the Castros stepped aside.