Cuba Headlines

Cuba News, Breaking News, Articles and Daily Information


Airplane
The state of Florida last week paid a total of $364,500 to 13 travel agencies that provide charter flights to Cuba.

The money was paid as reimbursement for legal expenses the agencies incurred while challenging – and eventually defeating – legislation that would have forced them to pay a substantial amount in safety guarantees.

Federal judge Alan S. Gold ordered the payment two months ago, after finding that certain amendments to the law that regulates flights to Cuba were unconstitutional.

The amendments, introduced by state representative David Rivera, required the agencies to post a one-time bond ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 for flying to Cuba, because Cuba is on the State Department's list of nations that sponsor terrorism.

The current deposit is $25,000.

Judge Gold ruled last year that "the state of Florida is not entitled to adopt a foreign policy under our Constitution or interfere with the exclusive prerogative of the United States to establish a carefully balanced approach to relations with foreign countries, including Cuba."

Ira Kurzban, the agencies' attorney, said that some "legislators are doing things for the wrong political reasons and that's costing [Florida] a lot of money.

Source: the Miami Herald

Related News


Comments