Beyonce, Jay-Z visit Cuba with their moms, but Blue Ivy nowhere to be seen

Beyonce and Jay-Z are currently making headlines for being in Cuba – a country that U.S. citizens are forbidden to visit purely for the purpose of tourism.

On April 7, a number of media outlets, including the April 7 Starpulse, the Guardian, the Atlantic Wire, New York Daily News, reported that Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles, and Jay-Z’s mother Gloria Carter, were part of the hip-hop power couple’s entourage.

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Blue Ivy Missing

Many media outlets published pictures of Beyonce and Jay-Z taking a scenic stroll through Old Havana, escorted by their bodyguard and the Cuban police. Beyonce carried a large expensive-looking camera, Jay-Z puffed on a (probably Cuban) cigar. Their mothers followed close behind.

But there was one thing noticeably missing.

Of all the pictures of the couple -- entering, leaving and dining at local restaurants, visiting with a local dance troupe, talking with students at a local art institute, waving from the balcony of their hotel -- Beyonce’s and Jay-Z’s 18-month-old daughter, Blue Ivy was nowhere to be found. Nor was Blue Ivy mentioned in any of the news reports.

As mentioned above, Beyonce and Jay-Z toured Havana with their mothers in tow. Where was Blue Ivy? Did Blue Ivy make the trip to Cuba with her doting parents? Was she back at the hotel with a nanny? Did they leave her behind with relatives in the United States?

No one bothered to ask, so no one seems to know.

PHOTOS: Beyonce and Jay-Z

From Anniversary Trip to International Incident

What was supposed to be a trip with relatives for Beyonce and Jay-Z to celebrate their fifth anniversary has turned into an international incident.

A 51-year embargo of Cuba makes it illegal for U.S. citizens to visit Cuba unless they have been granted a special license from the U.S. government to do so for educational, religious, journalistic or cultural-exchange purposes.

Thus far, Beyonce and have not commented on the reason for their trip, but members of Congress are demanding to know what type of license the hip-hop power couple was issued to for their Cuba trip.

Many U.S. citizens get around the travel ban by obtaining visas through a third country such as Canada or Mexico.

The Improper of April 7 is reporting that the State Department says it was unaware of Beyonce’s and Jay-Z’s visit or how it was arranged. If it turns out they obtained a visa through a third country, or traveled to Cuba without one they could be in big trouble.

According to an April 7 article in the New York Times, penalties for violating the travel ban can include a 10-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.

Starpulse reports that Beyonce and Jay-Z were invited by Cuba's tourism ministry, but American citizens are strictly forbidden to visit the country solely for tourism.

Beyonce and Jay-Z are going to have a lot of explaining to do when they return to the United States.

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Ruth Houston is a New York-based infidelity expert who is frequently called on by the media to comment on high profile infidelity and popular infidelity issues in the news. She is the founder of www.InfidelityAdvice.com, the author of Is He Cheating on You? - 829 Telltale Signs, and publishes the Infidelity News and Views blog. Ruth also writes the Celebrity Infidelity column (www.CelebrityInfidelity.com) and the National Infidelity column (www.NationalInfidelity.com) for Examiner.com. To interview infidelity expert Ruth Houston, or have Ruth speak at your next event, call 718 592-6029 or e-mail InfidelityExpert@gmail.com