WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is putting a large dent in the U.S. embargo against Cuba as of Friday, significantly loosening restrictions on American trade and investment.
The new rules also open up the communist island to greater American travel and allow U.S. citizens to start bringing home small amounts of Cuban cigars after more than a half-century ban.
Thursday’s announcement of new Treasury and Commerce Department regulations are the next step in President Barack Obama’s ambitious goal of re-establishing diplomatic relations with the government of Cuban President Raul Castro, Fidel’s younger brother. They come three days after U.S. officials confirmed the release of 53 political prisoners Cuba had promised to free.
Only Congress can end the five-decade embargo. But the measures give permission for Americans to use credit cards in Cuba and U.S. companies to export telephone, computer and Internet technologies. Investments in some small business are permitted. General tourist travel is still prohibited, but Americans authorized to visit Cuba need no longer apply for special licenses.
Obama vowed to soften the embargo last month and begin restoring diplomatic ties with Havana, saying “these 50 years have shown that isolation has not worked.” The deal was the product of 18 months of secret talks that culminated in the exchange of imprisoned spies and release of Alan Gross, a U.S. government contractor who had been imprisoned in Cuba for five years.
The sudden rapprochement between Cold War foes has divided U.S. lawmakers across party lines and interests. Among Republicans and Democrats in Congress, Cuban-Americans such as Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Bob Menendez of New Jersey have been particularly vocal in opposition.
But some pro-business types have welcomed the opportunity to open up a new export market in a country so close to American shores. The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for example, said Wednesday it was better for the U.S. to sell computers, smartphones and cars to Cuba than to cede such business to countries like Russia and China. Still, the embargo as a whole appears unlikely to fall anytime soon.
Starting Friday, U.S. companies will be able to export mobile phones, televisions, memory devices, recording devices, computers and software to a country with notoriously poor Internet and telecommunications infrastructure. The goal is to “contribute to the ability of the Cuban people to communicate with people within Cuba, in the United States, and the rest of the world,” according to a Treasury Department fact sheet. Internet-based communications will fall under a general license.
Americans permitted to travel to Cuba for family visits, official U.S. government business, journalism, research, education, religious activity and other reasons fall under a U.S. general license and don’t need to apply for a separate license. A limit on remittance payments to family members in Cuba will be raised to $8,000 per year, from $2,000 per year. Americans visiting Cuba will be allowed to bring home $100 in alcohol and tobacco products, and $400 in total goods.
Other changes include:
—No more limits on how much money Americans spend in Cuba each day or what they spend it on.
—Permissible use of U.S. credit and debit cards.
—Travel agents and airlines can fly to Cuba without a special license.
—Insurance companies can provide coverage for health, life and travel insurance policies for individuals residing in or visiting Cuba.
—Financial institutions may open accounts at Cuban banks to facilitate authorized transactions.
—Investments can be made in some small businesses and agricultural operations.
—Companies may ship building materials and equipment to private Cuban companies to renovate private buildings.
The U.S. and Cuba are scheduled to hold migration talks in Havana next week, the next step in their normalization process. Leading the American delegation is Roberta Jacobson, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America. Her visit marks the highest-level trip to Cuba by a U.S. official since 1980.
Further down the road, Washington envisions reopening the U.S. Embassy in Havana and carrying out high-level exchanges and visits between the governments. Secretary of State John Kerry could travel to the island later this year.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
I recently watched a documentary on Netflix about North Korea. The explosion of cell phones, radio’s that pick up broadcasts outside of North Korea, and other means of communicating to the outside world without government censorship or oversight is leading to the North Korean people beginning to question the government.
Only 90 miles from the Florida Keys and access to the internet will help the Cuban people. Too bad Rafeal “Ted” Cruz and others can’t learn to get along in our country
Recent photos from Havana-
“See See Havana”,
www.efn.org/~hkrieger/cuba.htm
Take note of US comments on this move. Emphasized is the opportunity to sell stuff to Cuba, not so much to begin a two-way trade situation that would better benefit Cubans. One can see this in relations with other Latin American countries as well as Haiti, where economic exploitation has kept the country on its knees for two centuries. Also see Avi Chomsky’s 2010 book, A History of the Cuban Revolution.
Its about F’en time!!!. This idiotic embargo put more restrictions on American’s than it did on anything Cuban> As Americans we could not go to those beautiful beaches, couldn’t eat that wonderful food foe next to nothing, smoke those cigars if that’s what you wanted or enjoy that wonderful rum. And so much, much more. All you have to do is spend a day on Old Havana and you are smitten by the place. ( Yes TSA and whoever in government wants to control me I have gone to Cuba…3 times in fact ) The “tank tanks” are so damn cool, the women so damn BEAUTIFUL and is so damn cheap to live high there. The place is a mix of Barcelona, New Orleans and Tamarindo.
hate to be so rude but FUCK the ex-pat Cuban’s here in the USA. WE never went to Little Italy to get insight on dealing with Rome nor did we rely on China Town to tell us how to deal with Beijing. But for some screwed up reason 314 million Americas we constrained by a policy coming from a few assholes in South Florida when it came to Cuba.
Watch out Cuba…here comes the USA! We gonna rock you…we gonna show you what a good life is and you aint gonna ever be the same again. Castro…give it up bro…the most influential popular culture in the world is coming across that 92 miles of Caribbean Sea and its gonna do you in. So chill buddy…grab a Bucanero, Cristal ot Hatuey and let it go. Give me a Havana Club on the rocks on Varadero Beach…and I can use my VISA card!!!
Cuba baby!!!
This may put MizLindsey and his Fickle-Conservative friends into a terminal frenzy…
As Judy Tenuta often says “It could happen!”