Cuban academics denied visas for meeting (In Puerto Rico,per Bush order.)

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday, March 1, 2006 · Last updated 9:32 p.m. PT

Cuban academics denied visas for meeting

By VANESSA ARRINGTON
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

HAVANA -- Cuban academics hoping to attend a gathering of Latin America experts in Puerto Rico were denied visas by the American government, marking the latest in the current U.S. administration's trend of shutting out Cubans.

Some 55 philosophers, economists, and historians were told last week they'd be unable to travel to this month's Latin American Studies Association congress in San Juan. Visa requests for four academics were still pending, said Sheryl Lutjens, an American political science professor at Northern Arizona University.

"These people represent strong scholars who think critically and who are often experts in their area where there are no others," said Lutjens, who co-chairs the association's Cuba section and is currently visiting the country. "This is alarming."

Academic exchange between Cuba and the United States has diminished over the last two years since the administration of President Bush started tightening long-standing trade and travel regulations against the island's communist government.
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1102AP_Cuba_Academics.html