Bush Administration Crackdown on Travel to Cuba Challenged by Coalition Opposed to All Restrictions

Interview by Between the Lines' Denise Manzari.

Recent press reports indicate that the Bush administrations is cracking down on Americans who travel to Cuba "illegally." President Bush has vowed to prosecute those who do "to the fullest extent with a view toward preventing unlicensed and excessive travel."

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has recently sent out hundreds of letters threatening to fine
Americans for traveling to and spending money in Cuba without a license. However, this policy is being challenged by a what a coalition of groups is calling a "wall of lawyers," organized by the National Lawyers Guild, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Global Exchange.

Art Heitzer is an attorney in Milwaukee and is the chairman of the Cuba subcommittee of the National Lawyers Guild. He spoke about what he feels the Bush administration's motive for its Cuba travel crackdown and what recipients should do if they receive a letter from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (A RealAudio Version of this interview may be found At  http://www.btlonline.org) .

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