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• 02 / 13 / 2010

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French surfer Martin Gaverieux was prevented from carrying out a journey from the United States to Cuba using a windsurfer, putting forward that there are economic, financial and trade restrictions against the Island.

The young French engineer, who intended to travel from Key West, Florida, to Havana, explained in his personal blog that he had obtained the relevant Cuban authorities' permits.

He expected to sail for nine hours along with a ship that would record his feat. He was even approved by Washington's embassy in Paris, but then the US Treasury denied him the license.

"This is a tangible evidence of the extraterritoriality of the US blockade, which has no flexibility even with a citizen of a country allied to the White House," a Cuban diplomat stated.

Orlando Requeijo, Cuban ambassador to France, told Prensa Latina that this is the first example in 2010 that proves the US blockade is intact and without any concession.

Gaverieux highlighted that the United States are responsible for his project's failure, because he had to change his planned route and surf on US territorial waters.

"I feel so disappointed about this. Now, I have to wait four months to make my dream come true, because of the embargo (blockade). I could try it on my own, but it is very risky due to the existing surveillance", he said.

No doubt I will try to do it again, hoping to get the authorization after having trained well, which will make me feel better prepared, he added.

Source: PL