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US denies Cubans visas for academic conference
AP, HAVANA
Friday, Mar 03, 2006, Page 7
Cuban academics hoping to attend a gathering of Latin America experts in Puerto Rico were denied visas by the US government.
Some 55 philosophers, economists and historians were told last week they would be unable to travel to this month's Latin American Studies Association congress in San Juan. Requests for four others were still pending, academics associated with the congress said.
"These people represent strong scholars who think critically, and who are often experts in their area where there are no others," Sheryl Lutjens, an American political science professor at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, said on Wednesday.
Academic exchange between Cuba and the US has diminished over the last two years since the administration of US President George W. Bush started tightening long-standing trade and travel regulations against Cuba.
The "Cubans not welcome" message has reached new extremes recently, with the US government provoking outrage after denying Cuba participation in this month's World Baseball Classic -- a decision that was later reversed -- and pressuring a major US-owned hotel in Mexico to kick out 16 Cuban officials attending a meeting with US oil executives last month.
Fewer US scholars are traveling to Cuba, wary of complicated US rules that can lead to hefty fines and punishment if broken.
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