Action Alerts

LAWG was happy to work with a group of Cuban Americans in crafting a letter about their position on Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism.” Yesterday, we delivered this open letter to the Obama Administration signed by sixty Cuban Americans from across the United States strongly disagreeing with the position of Cuban-American legislators from Florida on retaining Cuba on the State Department’s list of “state sponsors of terrorism.” The signers state that the Cuban-American legislators from south Florida do not represent them or their views on Cuba, or the views of the majority of Cuban Americans. “The removal of Cuba from this serious tool of U.S. foreign policy is long overdue,” maintain the signers. See below to read the full letter and view the list of signers. 

The LAWG Cuba Team wanted to let you know about a great series events that will take place here in Washington, DC sponsored by the International Committee to Free the Cuban Five.

We’re 59 strong!

Due to your action/emails/phone calls we have 59 signatures from House representatives urging President Obama to support travel to Cuba by granting general licenses for ALL current categories of travel. 

By eliminating the laborious license application process, especially for people-to-people groups, that is managed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the majority of the bureaucratic red tape that holds up licensable travel to Cuba would disappear and actually facilitate what the President wanted to see in 2011, liberalized travel regulations. 

Remember in 2011 when we convinced President Obama to issue an executive order that liberalized the United States' Cuba travel regulations? This action expanded general licenses for academic and religious travel and re-instated specific licenses for people-to-people travel. Well, we want to push the envelope even further this time and see President Obama grant general licenses for ALL purposeful categories of travel, doing away with the laborious license application process through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This would eliminate the majority of the bureaucratic red tape that prevents licensable travel to Cuba from actually happening. Representative Sam Farr (D-CA 20th) is leading this charge by circulating a "Dear Colleague" letter to members of the House of Representatives, asking them to join him in signing a letter to the President asking just that.

Short and sweet: we want to get Cuba removed from the terrorist list! (Don’t know what the terrorist list is? Check out our informational video)

On March 1st, 1982, Cuba was added to the U.S. Department of State’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. Why? Because “at the time, numerous U.S. government reports and statements under the Reagan Administration alleged Cuba’s ties to international terrorism and its support for terrorist groups in Latin America,” says a 2005 Congressional Research Services report. 

Since the 1990’s the Latin America Working Group (LAWG) has been a go-to source for all questions regarding Cuba policy here on Capitol Hill for our activists across the nation (without the political wonkiness, of course). We’ve provided opportunities for you to take action and make your voice heard above all the other talking points that overload the halls of our government. Now, you have the opportunity to support us so we can continue to move our Cuba policy forward.

Will you show us your support so we can continue to support you?

While most members of Congress were on recess in August, we weren’t.  Instead of hanging up our hats, we are prepping for what may come this fall. This means educating ourselves and you on some of the harsh aspects of our current policy towards Cuba.

In light of both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Cuban Americans for Engagement (CAFE), has a message for them from the Cuban-American community:

“We, as Cuban Americans and American citizens, urge both parties to not fall into the trap of viewing our community as a monolithic voting bloc that is in favor of the United States' embargo on Cuba. We are a diverse body of voices with a majority that favors a policy of engagement and, ultimately, normalization of relations between the two nations.”

People-to-people travel has been one of the few successful elements of our current policy towards Cuba.  Now, that could all change.

Many of about 140 existing people-to-people travel licenses are languishing in the bureaucratic depths of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, pending renewal.  And we know of only three that have been renewed. In 2010-2011 we worked tirelessly to re-instate this category of travel and we will not stand by quietly and watch it shrivel and disappear.

First things first, we want to apologize for the quietness on our end these past few weeks. There have been several weighty developments in U.S.-Cuba policy which we've been working on the ground, pushing back. This is a catch-up email to get us all back on the same page and provide you with a couple actions by which to re-activate your constituent (and clicking) power!

1. Tell Congress to address April's terrorist attack in Miami

2. Let the State Department know that you denounce the visa denials of Cuban academics