Absolutely not true. Any tourist is free to wander around and talk to everyone. Some Cubans look over their shoulders and want to talk in private places where you cannot be overheard, even by just walking down the street together, but they most certainly want to talk. In fact, when they find out you're an American, they come rushing up to you! 40 years of anti-American propaganda has not convinced them that we're their enemy. I know this from personal recent experience. I've never been to a place where people were more delighted to meet real live Americans! We were invited to many homes, they brought their friends to meet us. Sometimes we passed the government snitch on the way upstairs...there's one on every block at least. But that didn't stop the Cuban people from extending their hospitality. And I mean ordinary people, not commie elitists.