Via The Hill:

Romney campaign hits Obama over decision to give Cuban president's daughter US visa

Mitt Romney's campaign is blasting the Obama administration after the State Department approved a travel visa for Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro.

The decision to grant a travel visa has already drawn heavy criticism from some in the Cuban exile community in Florida, a crucial swing state in the 2012 campaign. The move by the State Department is also drawing fire from some Democrats.

“The Obama administration’s decision to grant a visa to Mariela Castro, daughter of the Cuban dictator Raul Castro, is a slap in the face to all those brave individuals in Cuba who are enduring relentless persecution for fighting for the universal rights we Americans hold dear. Unfortunately, this decision is part of a larger pattern. For even as the Castro brothers have tightened repression on the island over the past three years, the Obama administration has softened its approach. The United States should be standing up for freedom, not coddling the privileged children of communist dictators," said Romney policy director Lanhee Chen in a statement.

Mariela is a gay-rights activist and the head of Cuba's National Center for Sex Education, and had petitioned to attend a panel discussion on sexual diversity next week in San Francisco. The Castro daughter, who has been a vocal advocate for same-sex marriage in Cuba, will also attend an event at the New York Public Library.

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