Jan 28, 2012

Yoani Sanchez Granted Brazilian Visa

Brazil News

| HAVANA, Cuba – Journalist and Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez said on Friday that she has asked Cuban authorities for permission to travel to Brazil. Cuban citizens are required to possess the infamous Permiso de Viaje al Exterior (PVE), or Carta Blanca, in order to leave or enter their own country.

Yoani Sanchez, Cuban dissident, shows off her Brazilian visa, in Havana

Yoani Sanchez Brazilian Visa (Photo: terra.com.br)

Yoani was invited to visit Brazil by filmmaker Claudio Galvao da Silva to attend the premiere of the documentary film Cuba-Honduras Connection, in Jequie, Bahia, scheduled for February 10th. Sanchez is known for publishing a blog in opposition to the communist dictatorship now headed by Raul Castro, Fidel's brother.

“I handed in the request for permission to leave. I was told that the answer will be ready on Friday, February 3rd,” Sanchez said Friday on Twitter.

["Twitter, a tool of choice for dissidents and activists around the world, found itself the target of global outrage Friday after unveiling plans to allow country-specific censorship of tweets that might break local laws" – DAVID CRARY | Associated Press ]

Yesterday, Yoani expressed feelings between “hope and skepticism” about the possibility of traveling to Brazil, which granted her a visa on Wednesday. “You know we Cubans need a permit to enter and leave our own country?” she asked, referring to the PVE document that must be issued by immigration authorities on the island.

“If I can (travel to Brazil) it will be thanks to all who, anywhere in the world, demanded an end to this immigration nonsense,” she added.

The militantly anti-Castro cyberdissident asked for a visa at the Brazilian Embassy in Havana – which was granted – and also sent a letter to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff asking that she intercede with the Cuban government in order to get a PVE. Dilma will be making her first official visit to Cuba next week.

Sanchez was listed among the 100 most influential people in 2008 by Time magazine.

Yoani's message to Brazil (Video: YouTube/Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba)

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Source(s) for this article: terra.com.br

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