Cuban dissident blogger says exit visa denied
Feb 3, 2012, 8:04 PM
HAVANA (AP) – Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez says she has been denied permission attend a film festival in Brazil.
Sanchez recently got an entry visa from Brazil. The sticking point was whether Cuba would grant the exit visa that islanders must obtain to travel overseas.
By the blogger’s own count, it’s the 19th time in recent years that she has been denied an exit visa.
Sanchez said Friday on Twitter that there were “no surprises” this time around.
She had lobbied for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to raise the issue with Cuban officials during a visit this week. But Rousseff told reporters she considered it an internal Cuban matter.
The issue intruded somewhat on a trip meant to highlight trade and cooperation between countries.
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