Cuban Americans Head To Havana
MIAMI (CBS4) - For thousands of people in Cuba this really is 'the most wonderful time of the year'.
Not only are family members who live in Miami flying to Havana in increased numbers, they are also bringing with them everything from clothes and medicine to electronics. One carrier says the average bag weight per passenger is up 55 percent — and many Miami-Havana flights are shadowed by a separate cargo plane just to haul the load.
The increase in travel can be traced to President Barack Obama's lifting of the travel restrictions for those of Cuban heritage last year.
"They bring you things for the family," said Paulo Roman Garcia, a 45-year-old Havana native who makes $9.50 a month selling fruit at a market in the city's historic quarter.
Garcia was looking forward to a visit in the New Year from his older brother, who lives in New Jersey and will be coming down with stocking-stuffers such as clothing and treats, as well as big-ticket items including a stereo.
"My son has asthma, and he's bringing inhalers for his asthma," Roman Garcia said. "Medicines are very important. Some don't exist here, or they're hard to find."
Before the travel restrictions were eased, Cuban-Americans were only allowed to visit once every three years and were limited to $100 a month in gifts and currency.
"About 1,000 visitors are arriving a day from the U.S., and they expect somewhere close to 400,000 by the end of the year," said Kirby Jones, president of Alamar Associates of Bethesda, Maryland, a consulting firm that works with American companies looking to do business with Cuba.
The great majority are of Cuban heritage, and the rest are non-Cuban Americans traveling for officially sanctioned activities such as academic, cultural and sports exchanges. Traffic is even greater during the busy holiday season, when charters add additional flights that quickly fill up. Miami airport officials said 55 flights are scheduled to depart to four Cuban cities this weekend, among the heaviest travel days leading up to Christmas.
The visits are something of a lifeline in Cuba, where, five decades after the Cuban Revolution, many basic goods that Americans take for granted are in short supply — from office supplies to clothing, makeup, aspirin, batteries and even cat food.
The Cuban government blames the 48-year U.S. embargo, which prohibits nearly all commercial trade with the island, with the exception of food and medicine.
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