CLICK HERE to view Carlos Lazo's Video!

Dear Friends:

Those of us who work at the Freedom to Travel Campaign, and those of you who support our work, believe in opening up travel to Cuba for a variety of reasons.

For some it’s about preventing the government from limiting our liberties, our right to travel. For others, it’s because they have Cuba in their hearts, and want the right to travel restored because of a special interest in Cuban culture, Cuban history, or the natural beauty of the country itself.

But for those who have Cuba in their blood, because their heritage is Cuban heritage, and their families extend back to the island, this mission of restoring travel is deeply personal. 

That’s why the Freedom to Travel Campaign was honored to host a trip to Cuba just a few weeks ago that was devoted to research on how the new Bush travel restrictions are affecting Cuban families on both sides of the Florida Straits.  CLICK HERE to read full story.

One such family is the Lazo family.   There are two teenagers in Cuba who have not seen their father, Carlos Lazo, a Cuban-American serviceman serving in Iraq as a combat medic, for more than eighteen months.  What happened to Specialist Lazo, and how it affects his family, is a graphic illustration of why this policy needs to be changed.

Specialist Lazo came to the United States last June during his R+R and planned to travel legally from Florida to Cuba to visit his two teenage sons. He had purchased an airline ticket and went to the airport. Even though his trip would have started before the new travel restrictions took effect, the Bush Administration directed charter aircraft to stop accepting new passengers, to fly to Cuba empty, and to return only with travelers from Cuba. As a result, Specialist Lazo was denied this chance to see his sons before returning to combat in Iraq.

When the Freedom to Travel campaign learned of this incident, we contacted specialist Lazo and has worked with him in connection with its public education campaign to end the travel ban, and helped him place an op-ed piece describing his experience.

At the end of August, Specialist Lazo made a digital recording in Iraq with his plea to Congress to end the new travel restrictions. Our delegation offered to play the video for his family during our trip to Cuba. 

   CLICK HERE to view Lazo's statement! 

We visited the home of his former mother-in-law, Esperanza in Havana and played the video for her and for his son, Carlos Manuel (18). They told us the last visit of Carlos was 18 months ago. Esperanza described him as a devoted father who always sent money for the children, was concerned about their education, called frequently and visited as often as possible. “He used to surprise the kids and just show up,” she said.

According to Esperanza, Carlos Manuel often asked her why his father was fighting for the U.S. but the U.S. wouldn’t let him visit his sons.

Esperanza and Carlos Manuel watched the video attentively. At the end, Carlos’ son said simply, “I’m in shock. Tell my father I miss him and I love him.”

We communicated that message back to Iraq.  And we’re also doing more.

We’re collecting more stories about Cuban-American families in Florida, and around the nation, on how they are harmed by the new travel restrictions.  We’ve been on the radio in South Florida, and we’ve put up a questionnaire on CubaCentral.com to collect more information (CLICK HERE to go to questionnaire).  We’re funding our efforts – and telling this story about how we need to reunite families by ending the travel ban – by selling “Freedom to Travel” t-shirts (CLICK HERE to view and buy our t-shirts) and soon to come "Freedom to Travel" coffee, the later thanks to the Thanksgiving Coffee Company.  It will make a great holiday present.

No matter why you support ending the travel ban – whether it’s in your mind, your heart, or your blood – let’s keep working together to get the word out!  It will help people like Carlos Lazo, help his kids get reunited more quickly with their father, and go a long way toward improving America’s standing in the world.

Thank you for your support,

The CubaCentral Team