Don't follow the Pope to Cuba

With all of the hype about the Pope doing a Latin American tour, and including Cuba on the agenda, it really struck a negative cord with many, especially the Cuban exiles and descendants that exist outside of the communist regime.

Cuba is a humanitarian, social, and economic dilemma, for the United States, and the rest of the world. While it is beautiful, and holds so much historical value, it just isn’t a very nice place. Consider how for years Amnesty International has been on their case for imprisoning noncriminal, peaceful citizens with outspoken beliefs that contradict the socialist administration. Yes, Cuba is a Catholic nation, but the Pope should not be inviting visitors. The Pope traveling to Cuba in some ways “gives legitimacy to the dictatorship,” Cuban-American congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen recently said, and it is true. When Pope John Paul II held Mass in Havana, in 1998, he gave the people a shrouded message of hope, but nothing has changed, obviously. Many activists feel that the Catholic Church as no place in encouraging leisure travel, instead they should be using their persuasion to do more in terms of human rights. Their involvement in playing the travel agent in arranging trips is an insult to plenty. The Church shouldn’t be supporting the intolerant, communist dictatorship on any level, even if their aim is to inspire change. The repression of the Cuban government is beyond archaic for a Western nation, and the repression of it’s people, their lack of basic freedoms, and their lack of rights should not be mingled with the Church. The visiting Pope, and the arrangements for other travelers only makes light of the injustices, while the citizens of Cuba continue to be violated by a totalitarian government.

There has been a lot of buzz around traveling to Cuba, in general, as of late. Sadly, it is just one of those places not to be ventured into? WhataHotel! doesn’t feature Cuba as a worthy destination for many reasons. Even with all the amazing history Cuba holds, if you are a US citizen, you’ll be venturing into a place where you aren’t exactly wanted. If you are a Cuban exile, you aren’t exactly even welcomed back to your homeland. If you have views that differ from what their government stands for, don’t even think about voicing them.
 For those who are seeking a luxurious, exotic, and somewhat different version of the Caribbean, there are so many other, viable options. The area offers many amazing destinations worth visiting; just have a look at some of the best hotels in the Caribbean! . And, if you really want to see the Pope, venture to the Vatican and stay in one of the best hotels in Rome!