Cubans applaud rolling back US family travel rules

Cubans say Washington's easing of travel and spending restrictions for Cuban-Americans visiting the communist island will be a boon to small business and a key step toward warmer relations with the United States.

Juan Carlos Piedra will be able to see his brother, who lives in Florida, more often. Just as important, he expects more business at his little Don Lorenzo restaurant in a crumbling corner of central Havana.

"We have a lot of neighbors who have family abroad. When their relatives visit, they bring them here," said the 53-year-old restaurant owner.

The U.S. Senate late Tuesday approved a $410 billion spending bill that rolls back Bush administration restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting relatives - effectively increasing allowable trips to once a year and spending to $179 a day.

The bill, which already passed the House of Representatives, was signed by President Barack Obama on Wednesday. It also removes limits on how long people can stay in Cuba.

The vote doesn't change existing restrictions, but prohibits spending on enforcement - thus reverting to travel rules before they there tightened by Bush in 2004 and 2005. It only remains in effect until the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, however.

"I think it is a fair measure for the Cubans who are over there and for us Cubans who are here," said Omar Lugones, a 58-year-old Cuban Central Bank employee. "It's a measure that softens relations and all that is good."

The change comes at a time of increasing global pressure for the U.S. to lift its nearly 50-year-old trade embargo against the island.

Cuba 's government had no official reaction Wednesday. Instead the Communist Party daily Granma published a story about the U.S. Treasury Department fining a U.S. dairy for doing business with Cuba, saying the sanction proves the Obama White House "ratifies the policy of blockade" against this country.

Criticism was also muted from Miami's Cuban expatriate community, where some have complained that eased restrictions will just put money in the pockets of the communist government, which runs 90 percent of the economy and owns the vast majority of stores where family members shop.

Obama has said he supports the trade embargo. But he can further ease travel restrictions by executive order and has indicated that he intends to do so.

"As a candidate, President Obama promised - as did the Democratic Party platform - to repeal all limits on family travel and family support, and we fully expect him to keep this pledge," said Sarah Stephens, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Democracy in the Americas.

Cuba's small, intensely regulated private sector