American Airlines has been flying charters under the exceptions that permit US citizens to visit Cuba. If an American meets one of the dozen, in the past they could legally purchase airfare in the US and travel to Cuba. However, the specific license that granted them the ability to travel to Cuba required that most of the time was spent participating in the activity the license was granted for, playing tourist was not an approved activity.

Americans can now travel under a general license - which means they don't have to apply. All they have to do is print a form, check a box and book a flight through another country. If an US citizen tries to purchase airfare with a company that flies into Cuba - Aeromexico, Interjet, etc., before the purchase is completed - they're presented with the general license form and have to check which one complies with their reason for going to Cuba. Tourist travel and attending a Stones concert are not listed.

To sell tickets to an American who is outside of Cuba at the time of the sale, the ticket seller would probably have to have the buyer sign the general license form. Which gets a little tricky since the buyer isn't there as part of an approved cultural exchange tour. However, selling or giving a ticket to a person in Cuba - won't require a passport - so how would the Stones promoter know the buyer was American instead of Canadian?

There are exceptions where US food and farm products can be sold in Cuba. However, if you come across Coke, Delmonte, etc. and US clothing brands, its usually because a wholesaler or distributor in a country other than the US is exporting the product to Cuba.

There's never been an issue of traveling to Cuba as a tourist if you choose to skip a special or general license and use another country to get there or had a boat in Florida. If you want to fly from the US, you need a license. The US has never made it a practice to prosecute people who used another country to get to Cuba instead of complying with the law.

The problem is, under current law is the selling of concert tickets in the US to an event in Cuba that doesn't comply with the approved reasons for being in Cuba. If you book a People to People tour that is providing the Stones ticket - no issue, it's a cultural exchange trip.

If the Stones sold Cuba concert tickets on Ticketmaster or their own website, there are legal issues and while they could probably get around them by having people check a box on the general license form during the ticket purchase - I doubt they would go that route. Mexican owned airlines are now requiring that the fare purchaser check a box on the general license in the purchasing process. If the Stones used Ticketmaster Mexico or Canada - I suspect the general form would again pop up. I suspect the Machine which includes the US companies that promote the tour and sell the tickets, want nothing to do with getting involved with whether our purchase complies with US law. If you want a ticket to the concert - you're buying in Cuba or purchasing one of the cultural tours that are being offered.

If you're buying a ticket from a Cuban ticket seller (box office at the stadium) and they want a passport - no big deal. It's not like Cuba has any interest in enforcing US law. If they did, American tourists would be turned back at the airport and marina.

If you're buying from the Stones ticket office on Cuban soil, I suspect they won't ask for a passport for ID purposes. A driver's license does not give citizenship information.

As for Coca-Cola - yes they benefit from any sale of their product anywhere in the world. Even Cuba. However, a distributor in Mexico exporting to Cuba isn't going to list that shipment on the sales information sent back to Atlanta. Prior to the sale to Cuba - Coca Cola is receiving a cut, but they're cut out of the sale to Cuba, unless the distributor lists the sale as going to the Caymans.

If Coca-Cola wanted to sell products in Cuba - they could apply for a license to do so. For whatever reason, US companies turn a blind eye to what their foreign distributors are doing and aren't interested enough in the Cuban market in the past to apply for licenses. They aren't showing much of a profit for their product that finds its way into Cuba - but the losses aren't worth pursuing either by cracking down on distributors.

It seems there's a visit from President Obama scheduled for the day after the prospective Stones concert.

Can't imagine the timing is merely coincidental

Confirmed (maybe):

http://www.cubaheadlines.com/2016-02-26-p13-the-rolling-stones-to-perform-in-cub...

Articles in Spanish, English and Portuguese

http://www.radioformula.com.mx/notas.asp?Idn=573706&idFC=2016

http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2016/02/26/actualidad/1456473818_209696.html

http://equilibrioinformativo.com/2016/02/rolling-stones-se-presentar-en-cuba-a-f...

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/entertainment/2016/02/25/rolling-stones-to-perf...

The Cuban govt does not want the Stones there at the same time as the American State visit. The Stones will have to move their date. It is still rumored that the President will toss out the first pitch I think...though likely.

The Cuban govt wants the visit(s) to be covered by the press separately and not interfere with each other.

The date will be March 25!

VooMoof, March 25th is a Friday.  Nothing holy about that day.  It's a regular skunk works day, you can get loaded and stuff without celestial repercussion, just like any other non-holy day.

Voodoo Chile in Wonderland wrote on Feb 29^th, 2016 at 10:24am:


Might we see SFTD replaced by Indian Girl ?

Until recently, one could not be a practicing Catholic and belong to the Cuban Communist Party. Good Friday became a public holiday four years ago to get in chummy with Pope Benedict so he'd put in a good word for lifting the embargo with the White House. A Stones concert scheduled Easter weekend isn't going to have Cubans opting to stay home with their rosaries.

However, according to this article published on Saturday, the Tampa Bay Rays may not have access to the Latinoamericano Stadium on the 21st or the morning of the 22nd because last minute field improvements might be needed. I think I read last week that the Cuban baseball league's season ends in early March, so its unlikely it's a baseball game that is going to damage the field and I haven't come across any other events scheduled at the stadium for the weekend of the 18th.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/rays-cuba-trip-a-big-opportunity-an...

Unless the Stones are playing the stadium on the 20th and it takes over 24 hours to remove the stage.

If the reporter's information about the field needing last minute improvements before the game isn't from a couple of weeks ago, it sounds like the Stones are playing the stadium on the 20th and the Rays drew the short end of the straw.

https://www.cibercuba.com/noticias/2016-02-29-u80279-el-beatle-paso-de-largo-los...

Edith Grove wrote on Feb 29^th, 2016 at 11:17am:



He ain't no Che Guevara !!!

If it's not on RS.com...its not happening!!!
If its not in El Granma...it's not happening...

But...if its in RockOff...ITS HAPPENING!!!