Pop star Beyonce and husband Jay-Z traveled to Havana, Cuba, last week from Miami, to celebrate their 5th anniversary. And some politicians have been up in arms, asking about the legality of the trip. The U.S. Senator of Florida, Marco Rubio, went as far as saying the Cuban government used celebrity couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s recent trip to the country for “propaganda purposes”. But happy to report the Beyonce and Jay-Z Cuba trip was fully legal!
Wanna know how the Beyonce and Jay Z Cuba trip was legal?
US citizens are not allowed to travel to Cuba for mere tourism, though they can obtain licenses for academic, religious, journalistic or cultural exchange trips.
During their four-day visit, Beyonce and Jay-Z engaged in activities that were part of a cultural exchange, including touring the old city of Havana, visiting a children’s theater, and an art school.
Why is Cuba Illegal for Americans to Travel to?
This all went down way before most of us were born. So for a quick recap, the embargo was imposed on Cuba in October 1960. Titled the Cuban Democracy Act, which bans all commercial, economic and financial transactions with Cuba, was to discourage communism and promote democracy. This is why you see so many American classic cars in photos of Cuba – that was the last time they had access to U.S. imports.
Resources for Planning a Beyonce and Jay-Z Cuba Trip
Based on our research, here’s the most highly regarded, well-respected tour companies for Cuba travel:
Insight Cuba – The largest provider of legal people-to-people travel to Cuba, offering music, art, history and culture-centric Cuba tours.
Road Scholar – Because Insight Cuba is usually sold out a year in advance, Road Scholar is an excellent alternative. They offer art, culture, Jewish heritage and general Cuban society tours.
For more behind the legalities of obtaining Cuba Travel Licenses, head to the U.S. Treasury site.
Beyonce and Jay Z Cuba Trip UPDATE
Jay Z apparently is fed up with all the scrutiny by politicians surrounding his trip to Cuba. And he’s fighting back with a song. Published April 11, the rap song titled “Open Letter” addresses the White House, Obama and what he really thinks of politicians:
Happy 5th Anniversary Beyonce and Jay-Z! Way to celebrate it with a very special trip.
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Doesn’t Marco Rubio have anything better to do than be concerned with celebrity vacations? I mean really.