CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST STATE OF FLORIDA BY CUBAN-AMERICANBUSINESS OWNERS PROVIDING FEDERALLY LICENSED TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES TO CUBA

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CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST STATE OF FLORIDA BY CUBAN-AMERICAN
BUSINESS OWNERS PROVIDING FEDERALLY LICENSED TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES TO CUBA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR DAYBOOK PLEASE

Contacts: Ira Kurzban, Esq. or Steven Weinger, Esq. or Helena Tetzeli, Esq.
at (305) 444-0060

Asking the Federal Courts to enjoin the new "Florida Sellers of Travel Act",
a group of agencies and charter companies that offer legal travel-related
services to Cuba will file a complaint on Monday, June 30, in the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The Defendant is
Charles Bronson, the Commission of the Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services for the State of Florida. A press conference to announce
the action has been scheduled for that date at 2:30 p.m. at the offices of
Kurzban Kurzban Weinger & Tetzeli, 2650 SW 27th Ave - Second Floor, in
Miami, Florida.

"This is not an anti-terrorism bill, what it does is stop travel from Miami
to Cuba, make it harder for people to exercise their right to choose to
legally see family in Cuba, and involve the state in foreign policy, an area
that should be governed by the federal government," said Armando Garcia, a
plaintiff in the case and president of Miami-based Marazul Charters.

The new law will not allow many of the plaintiffs to continue to operate or
provide services to the public and their customers if the Travel Act is
enforced. Plaintiffs and other Florida companies offering travel related
services to Cuba will be subject to harsh penalties and other requirements
which make it more difficult and expensive for Cuban-Americans to travel to
Cuba or send humanitarian aid to family in Cuba. The new law significantly
increases registration fees, security bonds, potential fines and civil,
administrative and criminal penalties for firms licensed to provide these
services under federal law. The Act also interferes with the United States
government's foreign policy in an area it already heavily regulates.

Steven Weinger, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, stated, "It is
unfortunate that certain State of Florida legislators have decided to waste
taxpayer funds to further their own goal of preventing and hindering
Cuban-Americans who desire to visit their families in Cuba. State officials
who don't agree with the federal foreign policy have no right to interfere
with these policies. One would think that, in addition to following the law,
these officials would prefer to encourage local businesses and increase the
tax base in Florida, not send travelers to other states and other countries
just to pander to a small minority of voters in South Florida. In any event,
these state officials cannot declare war on a foreign country and cannot set
international policy. All the Florida officials can do is pass illegal
legislation that will cost the State of Florida money, embarrass the State,
and be ruled unlawful. As in past cases involving similar conduct by County
and City officials, we look forward to a prompt and decisive victory and a
substantial award of legal fees payable from the State of Florida treasury."

Plaintiffs in the case, who provide services to Cuban-Americans visiting
family in Cuba, as well as to journalists, scholars, and researchers legally
traveling to Cuba, are ABC CHARTERS, INC., MARAZUL CHARTERS, INC., XAEL
CHARTERS, INC., DAMUJI SERVICES INC., COSTA CUBA, INC., a CUBA TRAVEL
SERVICES, INC., CELIMAR TRAVEL SERVICES, INC., PARADISE INTERNATIONAL INC.,
COJIMAR EXPRESS SERVICES, INC., MI TIERRAMERICA TRAVEL, INC., CUBA EXPRESS,
INC., CUBAMERICA IMMIGRATION SERVICES CORP., HAVANA EXPRESS, INC., WILSON
INTERNATIONAL SERVICES, INC., TELLEZ'S TOUR AND TRAVEL AGENCY, INC.

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