Cuban Americans concerned about US embassy travel warning

By Neysi Hernández

HAVANA (AA) – Cuban Americans are concerned about a warning issued on the website of the U.S. embassy in Havana that their American citizenship may not be recognized by the government here.

“The Government of Cuba does not recognize the U.S. nationality of U.S. citizens who are Cuban-born or are the children of Cuban parents," according to the embassy which said those individuals can "be treated only as Cuban citizens.”

Cuba does not allow dual citizenship.

Cuban American Amanda Reyes, 65, said on Facebook that she does not understand the objective of the warning but has postponed a planned trip to Cuba.

But the information on the embassy website contradicts with recently published data that shows a marked increase in the number of visitors to Caribbean island from the United States, and in particular, Cuban-Americans who are seeking to take advantage of a thawing of relations between the two governments.

According to the Cuba tourism ministry, 94,000 Americans arrived in Cuba during the first four months of 2016 – a 93 percent uptick compared to the same period in 2015.

More than 116,000 Cuban Americans visited during that time.

Another Cuban American, Eduardo Gomez, said he travels every year to visit his family in Cuba and authorities have never withdrawn his passport or has he had any problems.

Neither the U.S. embassy in Havana nor the Cuban government responded to Anadolu Agency requests for comments.