Yoani Sánchez could leave Cuba in 15 days.
Cuban blogger and activist will receive her new passport within this timeframe and, despite not having a trip planned or a specific destination, is anxiously awaiting it; "It seems like the imprisonment is finally over," she said; new immigration rules came into effect this Monday, but do not apply to healthcare professionals or elite athletes.
247 With the new immigration rules coming into effect in Cuba, Cuban blogger and activist Yoani Sánchez says she may be able to leave the island in 15 days. In the last five years, she has had 20 travel authorizations to leave the country denied by the government. She doesn't yet have a trip planned or a specific destination, but she is anxiously waiting.
The period refers to the timeframe for her to receive a new passport that complies with the new immigration rules. "I could have received a 'no' right then and there. But the officials assured me that not only will I receive the passport, but I will also be authorized to leave. Of course, I'm celebrating cautiously. I'll only believe it when I get on the plane. But it seems like the detention is finally over," she told the newspaper O Globo.
New rules
New immigration rules allowing Cubans to leave the country came into effect this Monday, the 14th. Under the new regulations, the measures apply to everyone except healthcare professionals and elite athletes. The changes authorize Cubans to stay outside the country for up to two years without losing their citizenship status, and also allow the departure of children and adolescents.
In October 2012, Cuban authorities announced new rules, which apply to passport issuance, requiring only a visa for travel abroad, in addition to an invitation letter for leaving the country. The Cuban Immigration and Nationality Directorate reported that everything is in place for the new regulations to take effect.
For citizens who left Cuba in the 1990s, the new rules allow them to visit the country for up to 90 days. Until now, they could stay for a maximum of two months. It is estimated that there are approximately 1,5 million Cubans living abroad.
According to official data, there are Cubans in more than 150 countries, the majority in the United States. According to government data, 85,7% of Cubans live in the United States, 77% live in the South, and 68% in Florida. Cuban authorities reported that there are 195 registered websites in the country to meet the demand.
With Brazil Agency