Cuban protest group leader gets passport to travel

Several dissidents including blogger Yoani Sanchez and hunger strike protester Guillermo Farinas say they have been told they can travel. Sanchez already has her passport and plans to visit Brazil on Feb. 17. A lesser-known dissident, Eliecer Avila, has already traveled to Sweden.

However others, including Angel Moya, one of the 75 locked up in 2003, have been denied travel papers because they have legal sentences pending.

The new travel law eliminated the exit permit and eased bureaucratic procedures for going abroad, but contains language reserving the state's right to withhold passports for reasons of national security and public interest.

"Having a passport is no guarantee you can leave the country," Soler said.

Delgado told the AP she does not have any legal cases pending with the state, and it was unclear why she would be blacklisted while others are allowed to travel.

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Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP