On Wednesday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) criticized Obama's plans to ease U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba. His remarks come a day before American and Cuban negotiators will meet for talks about re-opening embassies in both capitals.
Rubio said during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing that Cuba's "views on human rights are not legitimate, they're immoral." He added that Americans visiting Cuba would benefit Cuba's government and military, since many tourist destinations are government-owned.
Rubio also criticized Cuba's policies blocking full internet access. "This is a government that won't even allow you to bring in certain books to the island," Rubio said.
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Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), meanwhile, responded to Rubio's comments by saying that businesses in Vietnam and China are government-owned, but the U.S. doesn't restrict travel to those countries.
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