Cuba Denies Travel Visa for Prominent Dissident Blogger

The Cuban government has again rejected a travel visa for one of the country’s most prominent dissidents, blogger Yoani Sanchez .

Sanchez, who runs the popular Generacion Y blog, was seeking permission to visit Brazil in order to see a documentary about press freedoms in Cuba.

After the Brazilian government issued her a visa last month, her hopes were raised – only to be dashed again.

Havana has now rejected Sanchez’s visa applications nineteen times.

There are no surprises, she tweeted.

It is occasion number 19 in which they have violated my right to enter and leave the country.”

The visa denial came shortly after a visit to Cuba by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff.

Rousseff, herself a former Communist guerilla, was under pressure from some quarters in Brazil to ask Havana to grant Sanchez an exit visa.

During her visit to Cuba, Rousseff reportedly met with Fidel Castro, but apparently did not address the Sanchez matter with senior Cuban officials.

Sanchez’s blog, which has a wide following both within and outside of Cuba, is highly critical of the Communist government in her country.

Three years ago, Havana authorities denied a visa for Sanchez to visit New York in order to receive a journalism award for her blog.

Since the 1959 revolution, its has been very difficult for Cubans to legally and easily. depart the country and come back.