Cuba is only 90 miles away from the United States, but most of its citizens know little or nothing about the island because tourism is prohibited by law in the U.S. Some do visit Cuba for specific purposes, however. Today our host Cristina Escobar interviews the president of Cuban Educational Travel, Colin Laverty, who organizes trips to Cuba for different kinds of groups who may be interested in art, cigars, sports competition or journalism. Short term educational trips are the most common. Laverty sees a surge of interest in Cuba in general among people in the United States and says visitors tend to be impressed by how healthy, educated, intelligent, talented and creative Cubans are. He recognizes that there are those intent on promoting capitalism and changing the Cuban political and economic system, but has found that many United States visitors are interested in aspects such as the health care system and want to learn from it. If the ban on tourism is lifted, will McDonald’s take over Havana? There are surely wonderful things in Cuba that could be lost, says Laverty, yet one yearns for a normal relationship where people can come and go as they please. For him the most important thing is that the process be led by Cubans and based on sovereignty, independence, and what’s best for Cuba. teleSUR