Generational gap found on Cuba travel

CAMPAIGN 2008 | U.S.-CUBA RELATIONS
Generational gap found on Cuba travel
Polls showed a generational gap among Cuban Americans on how to deal
with Cuba.
Posted on Thu, Jun. 19, 2008
By ALFONSO CHARDY

There's a split between older and younger Cuban Americans on whether
exiles should be allowed to travel more often to visit relatives on the
communist island, according to new polls commissioned by a group seeking
better U.S.-Cuba relations.

The polls released Wednesday by the Foundation for Normalization of
US/Cuba Relations, a group formed in 2006, show that a majority of
registered voters in the hotly contested 21st and 25th congressional
districts support unfettered exile Cuba travel and money remittances to
the island. Voters in both districts are less likely to support a
candidate who favors travel and money restrictions, the polls indicate,
though the gap is not sufficient to overcome the polls' margin of error
of 4.9 percentage points. Another 11 percent of those polled were undecided.

Republican incumbents in both districts, Lincoln Diaz-Balart in the 21st
and brother Mario Diaz-Balart in the 25th, favor restrictions President
Bush imposed in 2004 limiting exile travel to once every three years
instead of annually. The 2004 rules also limit money remittances to
close family members like spouses, parents or children instead of any
relative.

CHALLENGERS

The issue has become central to the Diaz-Balarts' reelection because
their chief Democratic challengers, former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez
and former Cuban American National Foundation executive director Joe
Garcia, favor lifting restrictions.

Martinez is running against Lincoln and Garcia against Mario.

''This is now the latest in a series of polls done by third parties that
show that Cuban Americans overwhelmingly disagree with the
Diaz-Balart-Bush policy on Cuba,'' said Jeffrey Garcia of the Martinez
campaign.

Ana Carbonell, Lincoln Diaz-Balart's campaign manager, said: ``It's
amazing that with all the issues that need to be addressed, from
healthcare to rising gas prices, the one issue this poll chooses to
prioritize is how to offer economic relief to a state sponsor of terror.''

Carlos Curbelo, Mario Diaz-Balart's spokesman, said: ``It is regrettable
that while Mario is fighting in D.C. for lower taxes, affordable
healthcare and a solution to the housing crisis, the opposition is
promoting push-polls to divide our community.''

TRAVEL

In samples of 400 registered Cuban-American and other voters in the two
Diaz-Balart districts, older Cuban-Americans oppose travel to Cuba by
fellow exiles while younger Cuban Americans favor lifting restrictions.

The polls were conducted by the Hamilton Campaigns, a Washington
research and political strategy firm that on its website
(http://www.hamiltoncampaigns.com/) says it helped Democrats ``take back
control of Congress.''

Polling also was done in the 17th district, which is represented by
Kendrick Meek, a Democrat who has remained neutral in the Diaz-Balart races.

Read more about Cuba and South Florida's exile community at
http://www.miami herald.com/newsamericas/cuba/ and the blog
http://miamiherald.typepadcom/cuban_colada/

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/575442.html