A 40-year ban on travellers from the United States visiting Cuba could be moving towards an end following a vote in the US Senate.
Recent moves towards lifting the ban have reportedly been threatened by the White House, according to The Independent newspaper, but the vote is being seen by many as “a clear and undeniable sign that the end is near for the Cuba travel ban”.
The ban was imposed back in 1963 by President John F Kennedy, and though it lapsed under Jimmy Carter in 1977, it was re-imposed by Ronald Reagan in 1982; breaking the rules carries a possible USD250,000 fine and 10 years’ prison.
Some observers believe that the ban really could be lifted in the near future; while Washington has the power to veto such a bill, Democrats believe it is unlikely. One MP reportedly told The Independent: “It’s really hard for the president to make this his first veto by saying, in effect, ‘What I really intend to do is injure the American people’s right to travel’.”
Cuba, which has welcomed the move, is expected to receive a million US tourists in the first 12 months if and when the ban is lifted.
