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“…Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said Friday [March 14, 2003] in Havana that despite the mistrust at the official level, increasing numbers of Americans, including Cuban-Americans, support normalized relations. Speaking at a news conference, the foreign minister pointed to several recent polls to support his contention. He said the changing attitudes of Americans contrast sharply with Washington’s hard-line policies.” [Con Embargo]

George Gedda, “Cuba limits travel of U.S diplomats; U.S. reciprocates, officials say,” The Associated Press, March 14, 2003

“March 12 [2003]. U.S. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) introduce a bill in Congress (United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2003) that seeks to lift the embargo.” [Con Embargo]

Jerry A. Sierra, “Economic Embargo Timeline,” HistoryofCuba.com

“08/03/2003 The United States government denies visas to over 100 Cuban academics. Political analysts consider that such attitude shows the U.S. authorities determination to put obstacles and add further tension to the relations between both countries, and make things harder for Cubans in every possible way, even going to absurd extremes.” [Con Embargo]

“George W. Bush (R). Timeline,” Cuba versus Blockade: Cuban People’s website, 2007

“Washington, 7 March [2003]…The U.S. government is putting obstacles to the visas for 103 Cuban academics to prevent their participation in an international scientific event to be held in Dallas, Texas, on 27-29 March. The director of Latin American Studies at Redlands University, California, and Arturo Arias, chairman of the Association of Latin American Studies, denounced that such action ‘shows the Bush administration commitment to interfere in the dialogue between Cuban and American academics’ . ‘If the academic integrity of our conference is threatened by bureaucratic incompetence and political hostility, then we must move the forum to another country where everyone will be welcomed’, said Linger. It is about the Latin American Social Science (LASA) Congress, which will be attended by American and Canadian experts, and considered the most prestigious such event in the Western Hemisphere. Kelly Shannon, State Department spokesperson, refused to explain the real reasons behind the visa denial and said that under the new visa requirements and heightened border security, Cubans requesting a U.S. visa had to go through special scrutiny by intelligence agencies and other relevant departments.”

“George W. Bush (R). Timeline,” Cuba versus Blockade: Cuban People’s website, 2007

“The State Department is restricting the freedom of travel of Cuban diplomats in the United States, responding to curbs imposed by Havana on U.S. officials in Cuba…Last Monday [aprox. March 1, 2003], the U.S. officials said, Cuba informed the State Department that mere notification of travel was not enough, that Cuba would have to approve each trip beyond the free travel zone. The officials, asking not to be identified, said that Washington imposed the same restriction on Cuban diplomats in Washington within 24 hours. The Cubans had been free to travel without approval to any point within the Washington Beltway. Permission also was granted to visit Dulles Airport in suburban Virginia and a Virginia shopping center beyond the Beltway. The officials said the U.S. response to travel requests by Cuban diplomats would depend on how flexible the Cuban side is in acquiescing to American requests in Havana…”

George Gedda, “Cuba limits travel of U.S diplomats; U.S. reciprocates, officials say,” The Associated Press, March 14, 2003

“South Florida’s Cuban-American community is expressing unprecedented support for easing elements of the United States’ embargo of Cuba. In a public opinion poll conducted for the Miami Herald in February 2003, among Cuban-Americans living in South Florida, there is significant support for ending the travel ban, lifting the cap on remittances, and increasing outreach efforts towards those on the island. Here is a sample of some of the results: The Travel Ban: Among Cuban-Americans living in South Florida, 47% responded that they support lifting travel restrictions for all U.S. citizens who want to travel to Cuba, as compared to 46% who oppose and 7% who said they don’t know. The Remittances Cap: Among Cuban-Americans living in South Florida, 49% responded that they support lifting restrictions on [the] amount of money that U.S. citizens can send to their family in Cuba, as compared to 44% who oppose and 7% who said they don’t know… ‘The Embargo’: Among Cuban-Americans living in South Florida, to the question, ‘Generally speaking, do you support or oppose the U.S. embargo of Cuba?’ 60% responded ‘support,’ 27% responded ‘oppose,’ and 12% responded ‘Don’t know.’ Dialogue with the Island: Among Cuban-Americans living in South Florida, several questions asked respondents about their views on existing initiatives to enter dialogue with those living in Cuba, to which over 50% responded ‘support,’ while under 40% responded ‘oppose.’” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.] [Con Embargo]

“Embargo Update: Overview of Recent Developments,” HavanaJournal.com, April 1, 2003

“‘Despite longstanding disagreements between the United States and Cuba, four decades of an embargo have not led to solutions. Expanding communication, not continued isolation, is a productive step toward advancing U.S.-Cuban relations and toward addressing U.S. concerns about political liberties and economic reform in Cuba,’ according to Brian Alexander, Executive Director of the Cuba Policy Foundation. Mr. Alexander added, ‘U.S. policy must reflect the reality that 11 million people live in Cuba, not just one man. By opening lines of communication with Cuban officials as well as opponents of Castro’s government, Americans speak directly with those who will shape the future of Cuba and the future of the U.S.-Cuban relationship.’” [Con Embargo]

“CPF [Cuba Policy Foundation] Leads Successful Congressional Delegation to Cuba,” Cuba Policy Foundation, December 3, 2002

“Congressional aides from fourteen offices of the House Cuba Working Group were in Havana, Cuba in November [2002] on a trip to broaden communication between the United States and Cuba and to expand Congressional knowledge of contemporary Cuba. The trip, sponsored by the Cuba Policy Foundation, included seven Republican and seven Democratic offices of the bipartisan, forty-six member House Cuba Working Group, a Congressional coalition focused on the consequences of the four-decades old U.S. embargo of Cuba. Among the delegation’s activities were meetings with Cuban dissidents who seek improved civil liberties and economic opportunities in Cuba…The delegation also met with members of Cuba’s ministries of tourism, basic industry, foreign relations, and others…The U.S. Interests Section, Havana, including the recently appointed chief of section, James Cason, also received the delegation…This trip is one of a series of official delegations the Cuba Policy Foundation is leading to Cuba.  Other trips include a visit by members of the California State Assembly and future trips with American political and business officials.  The Cuba Policy Foundation is licensed by the U.S. Department of Treasury to travel to Cuba for collection of information related to Cuba for non-commercial purposes.” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.] [Con Embargo]

“CPF [Cuba Policy Foundation] Leads Successful Congressional Delegation to Cuba,” Cuba Policy Foundation, December 3, 2002

“November 13 [2002]. For the 11th straight year, the UN [United Nations] General Assembly overwhelmingly approves a resolution asking the US to end the 40-plus-years embargo against Cuba. The vote is 173 in favor of the resolution and 3 against (US, Israel, Marshall Islands), with no abstentions. European nations expressed objection to the embargo, citing US penalties on countries and companies doing business with Cuba as ‘extraterritorial,’ and saying that the embargo is a bilateral issue between the US and Cuba and should not be imposed on others.” [Con Embargo]

Jerry A. Sierra, “Economic Embargo Timeline,” HistoryofCuba.com

“September 30 [2003]. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) passes a regulation that bans publication of scientific articles from regimes subject to sanctions by the U.S. government, as is Cuba.” [Pro Embargo]

Jerry A. Sierra, “Economic Embargo Timeline,” HistoryofCuba.com