Americans Favor Lifting the Travel Ban, Establishing Diplomatic Relations

A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll finds that a majority of Americans feel that it is time to try a “new approach to Cuba.”

The study indicates most (70 percent) favor lifting the ban on American travel to Cuba and re-establishing diplomatic relations (a 69 percent majority of Americans). Freedom for Americans to travel to Cuba is broadly supported by Republicans (62 percent), Democrats (77 percent), and independents (66 percent).

A majority (59 percent) endorses the view that it is “time to try a new approach to Cuba, because Cuba may be ready for a change.” Thirty-nine percent of Americans favor the counter position of continuing current policy, i.e., “the Communist Party is still in control; therefore the U.S. should continue to isolate Cuba.”

By a wide margin, the public believes that increasing trade and travel between the U.S. and Cuba will lead “Cuba in a more open and democratic direction” (71 percent) rather than have the effect of “strengthening the communist regime in Cuba” (26 percent).

The public by a very large majority approves of the Obama administration policy announced in early March which relaxed restrictions on travel to Cuba for the purpose of visiting relatives (79 percent approve, 19 percent disapprove).