US Government denies visas to Cuban academics
Campaign News | Friday, 8 October 2004
64 researchers are stopped from attending international conference
Washington, Oct 8: The US State Department has decided not to grant visas to more than 64 Cuban university professors for a conference in Las Vegas because of their support to Havana?s government.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the US administration?s denial was because it thinks it inappropriate for this many Cuban academics to come to a conference because they support the revolutionary process in the Island.
The 64 academics were due to attend the Latin American Studies Association in Las Vegas October 7-9. Cuban academics have attended previous meetings of the body.
Boucher said it would have been inappropriate to grant the visas because they travel as government officials and employees and could spread the Cuban Communist Party?s line.
Boucher also conditioned the granting of visas saying that the academics should have shown their opposition to the Cuban system including free thinking and questioning the government policy.
Granma daily emphazises Friday that it is hypocritical that a US government official would suggest something like that when the US people is questioning the government?s policy regarding the war against the Iraqi people, and its inability to lift the absurd blockade on Cuba imposed by successive US administrations for more than 40 years causing damages to the Island for over $79,3 billion just on the economy.
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={F3332D38-A6F1-4306-845A-3D69836E4B9E}&language=EN
