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CUBA
NEWS
The
Miami Herald
Senate moves to end Cuba travel ban
The U.S. Senate, like the House last
month, voted to end the ban on travel to
Cuba, but President Bush has threatened
again to veto such a measure.
By Frank Davies. fdavies@herald.com.
Posted on Fri, Oct. 24, 2003
WASHINGTON - Moving toward a confrontation
with the Bush administration over Cuba policy,
the U.S. Senate on Thursday voted 59-36
to effectively end restrictions on Americans
traveling to the island.
In language identical to a House version
passed last month, the Senate voted to block
any government spending to enforce restrictions
on travel to Cuba as part of a $90 billion
spending bill for the Transportation and
Treasury departments.
The vote reflected growing opposition to
the travel ban and the U.S. trade embargo
around the United States, fueled by complaints
that the sanctions only help to entrench
President Fidel Castro's government and
shut the doors to U.S. businesses.
But the Bush administration on Thursday
issued a renewed warning that the president
would veto the bill if the provision remains,
saying it would "provide a helping
hand to a desperate and repressive regime.''
PROVISION STRIPPED
The House has voted four times to end the
ban, and the Senate has backed similar provisions
twice. But GOP leaders in both chambers
have always been able to strip the provision
in conferences.
Defying President Bush's promise two weeks
ago to crack down on illegal travel to Cuba,
19 Republicans voted with 39 Democrats and
one independent Thursday to end the ban.
U.S. laws forbid most U.S. citizens from
spending money in Cuba, although technically
travel to the island is not illegal.
Florida's two senators, Democrats Bob Graham
and Bill Nelson, voted to keep the ban.
Graham said lifting the ban "would
reward Castro for acts of repression.''
Several senators said Bush's order directing
Homeland Security and Treasury to step up
searches of travelers to Cuba was a bad
use of resources during the war on terrorism.
Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, a member of
the GOP leadership, said the Treasury Department's
Office of Foreign Asset Control, which targets
the funding of terrorism, should not be
focusing on the embargo on Cuba.
GRANDMAS TARGETED
''Ten percent of the OFAC budget is used
to track down little old grandmas from the
West Coast who through a Canadian travel
agency chose to bike in Cuba,'' Craig said.
He was one of seven Republicans on the Appropriations
Committee to vote to end the ban.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said the Senate
''paid very little heed to the veto threat.''
Phil Peters, vice president of the Lexington
Institute, a conservative think tank, said
the importance of Thursday's vote was that
"the president's arguments may work
in Miami but not the rest of the country.''
If remaining spending bills are wrapped
up into one omnibus measure later this year,
Dorgan and Craig said, they expected the
Senate to vote again to eliminate the ban.
''Ending the ban is not going to happen,
though it's shameful that people would vote
to help an anti-American terrorist state,''
said Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Miami
Republican. "This is all for naught
-- the president won't allow it.''
U.S. travel to Cuba is restricted to humanitarian
and educational groups and Cuban Americans
visiting family members.
Reliever booed, battered
Cuban defector gets a cold reception
from the crowd, then unravels as the Marlins
score three runs in the second inning after
David Wells departs.
By George Richards, grichards@herald.com.
Posted on Fri, Oct. 24, 2003.
It's logical to assume Jose Contreras would
get a warm welcome in Miami.
The former ace of the Cuban national team
thumbed his nose at Fidel Castro when he
defected while in Mexico last October. Contreras
later signed a four-year, $32 million contract
with the Yankees.
But when he walked onto the field at Pro
Player Stadium on Thursday night, he wasn't
greeted by thousands of Cuban exiles waving
flags.
He was booed, as if his nationality didn't
matter. In South Florida, it seems, everyone
is fair game when wearing enemy colors.
Contreras was summoned in the second inning
after starter David Wells made a quick exit
with lower back problems. Contreras, who
shut down the Marlins for two innings of
relief Wednesday night, looked sharp early
Thursday, quickly retiring Miguel Cabrera
and Jeff Conine.
Then, the problems started.
Contreras, aside from one bad inning against
Boston in Game 6 of the American League
Championship Series, has been New York's
best reliever after Mariano Rivera this
postseason. With two out in the second,
however, he lost his control -- and just
about cost the Yankees the game.
''He was rushing himself, overthrowing
the ball,'' manager Joe Torre said. "He
couldn't get the ball down because he was
muscling it. He looked anxious trying to
throw the ball.''
Mike Lowell and Derrek Lee walked, with
Lowell scoring on Alex Gonzalez's ground-rule
double to tie the score at 1-1. Pitcher
Brad Penny then smacked the first pitch
he saw past Enrique Wilson at second, driving
in two more.
Contreras gave up another run when Juan
Pierre doubled to drive in Lee in the fourth,
but the damage was done. The Marlins went
on to a 6-4 victory and a 3-2 lead in a
World Series now headed back to Yankee Stadium.
Wells had no such problems in his one inning.
He got three quick groundouts but looked
like he might have pulled something while
trying to field Pierre's leadoff bunt. Contreras
was called to start warming up after Wells
walked off the field, and David Dellucci
was brought in to pinch hit for Wells in
the top of the second.
''[Wednesday] I felt tight,'' Wells said,
"and today I just wasn't comfortable.
I kept tightening up, and the trainers kept
trying to get me loose. It didn't work.
I tried everything.''
Wells, whose one inning was the shortest
stint for a World Series starter since San
Diego's Mark Thurmond went one-third of
an inning in 1984 against Detroit, missed
a start because of back problems earlier
this season. He received an epidural shot
and came back.
The Yankees hold the option for next season
on Wells, who might have made his final
start for New York. Wells, one of the Yankees'
top postseason pitchers, said Wednesday
he hopes to be back next year.
''It's out of my hands, it's up to [owner]
George Steinbrenner if they want to exercise
my option,'' said Wells, 40. "If they
don't, then I move on. It's been great.
It's been fun. It's a great organization.''
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