“02/04/2002 Washington, April 1 (AFP) [Agence France-Presse] The US denied last Friday, visas for more than 60 Cuban officials of the state-owned enterprise Alimport, who had been invited by agriculture enterprises interested in selling their products to Cuba, said the State Department’s spokesman for the Western Hemisphere, Chip Baker to AFP last Monday. ‘we have restrictions for the granting of visas to Cuban officials and members of the Communist Party, since the mid 80s, and while we have lifted these restrictions some time in the past, now it is our decision not to do it, said Baker…”
“George W. Bush (R). Timeline,” Cuba versus Blockade: Cuban People’s website, 2007