By Al Kamen. Monday, July 10, 2000; Page A17. The Washington Post.
The Pentagon's don't ask, don't tell policy on gays in the military seems to have pleased just about no one. But folks at the State Department are hoping the same policy on Americans illegally spending money in Cuba may meet a better fate.
Hard-line junior officers in the U.S. Interests Section in Cuba, noting that many thousands of Americans have been traveling to Cuba recently in violation of the official embargo, cabled Foggy Bottom in April, wondering if they shouldn't take action.
Travel to Cuba is not illegal, but spending money there is, unless visitors have obtained Treasury Department permission as part of an educational or some other exchange or approved activity.
"USINT Havana requests . . . guidance on how much consideration, if any, consular officers here should give to enforcement of the embargo against Cuba" when visitors show up needing assistance, the cable says.
Many visitors ask for help getting money from home, the cable says, and "it is suspected that" they want to give more money to family or friends in Cuba "than can be sent under the terms of the embargo. . . . Other times it is suspected that the additional money is being requested
to extend or facilitate the [citizen's] continued unlicensed visit to Cuba."
So should we check to make sure "the money will be used only to help . . . pay his bills and depart Cuba in a timely manner?" the officers wanted to know. If potential embargo violators show up at the consular section, should their names "be provided" to the Treasury
Department "for possible investigation of their visit to Cuba?"
Many of the suspected embargo-breakers leave from Mexico and other nearby countries, picking up passports "only days before" traveling to Cuba, the cable says. Should other posts "be alert" to this activity? Should suspect requests for new or replacement passports in Cuba be
denied so folks would be forced to leave?
After consulting with Treasury, State Department officials adopted the Pentagon policy. "Neither the Department of State nor post has authority . . . to investigate" suspicious tourists, the June 24 reply cable says. So "it follows that post should not compile lists" of
possible violators for Treasury.
On the other hand, agencies "have a responsibility to report violations of U.S. laws that come to their attention during the normal course of business," headquarters said. So if someone "volunteers information that indicates he or she is in engaged in unlicensed travel
transactions," then blow the whistle on the visitor. But don't "routinely ask travelers" if they are legal. "There must be some indication or reason to believe a violation has occurred."
Here's the idea: If some disheveled lout wanders in complaining of a headache after a week-long binge in a Cuban house of ill repute, call Treasury. (Unless he's a reporter.)
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