President Donald Trump has issued a new policy that makes restrictions on Cuba much tougher, undoing earlier efforts by the Biden administration to reduce pressure on the Communist-led country.
This decision shows a return to a hardline approach, continuing policies from Trump’s first term and expanding them in recent months. According to a White House memo found by the BBC, the main goal is to more strictly enforce existing bans on American tourists visiting Cuba and to reject international demands. This includes those from the United Nations to lift the long-standing US economic embargo on the island.
The White House stated that the new policy aims to stop economic activities that mostly benefit the Cuban government, its military, intelligence, or security agencies, often while harming the Cuban people. While there is already a direct ban on US citizens traveling to Cuba purely for tourism, twelve specific types of travel are still allowed.
Trump is cracking down on Cuba again
These types of travel include visiting family, educational trips, humanitarian work, and taking part in sports events. However, the new policy stresses strict enforcement of these rules. This will be done through regular checks and a new requirement for all travelers to keep thorough records of their travel-related spending for at least five years.
A major part of these stricter rules is a direct ban on US citizens doing business with GAESA. This company, run by the Cuban military, owns many hotels and plays a big role in Cuba’s economy. Tourism is one of Cuba’s main ways of earning foreign currency, and these new restrictions are expected to hurt the industry even more. Cuba’s tourism sector has already seen fewer visitors due to serious shortages across the country and frequent power outages that leave many areas without electricity.
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Washington Doubles Down on Cold War Strategy, Trump Reinstates Sanctions on Cuba
President Trump has signed a new directive that tightens U.S. policy toward Cuba, once again using sanctions and travel bans as political weapons. The memorandum, which reinstates measures from… pic.twitter.com/81Jt1FH6by
The current struggles in Cuban tourism, including empty hotels and fewer international travelers, were already a problem, and these new US policies will likely make the economic situation worse. Cuba’s Foreign Minister strongly criticized the new policy, calling it an increase in aggression and an economic blockade that hurts all Cubans and blocks the country’s growth.
Soon after starting his second term, President Trump put Cuba back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. This label had been removed by the previous president, Joe Biden, just before he left office. Putting Cuba back on this list has major consequences, adding to existing sanctions and financial limits on the country.
