Barack Obama has decided to lift restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba to ‘support the desire of the people to determine their own destiny.’ The US president has given orders to the Departments of State, Treasury, and Commerce to implement this initiative as soon as possible, including measures to facilitate communications with the country.
Henceforth, remittances and humanitarian aid packages may already be sent to the island nation. The lifting of the ban also applies to goods such as seeds for planting or fishing equipment. Shipments may be directed to any citizen of Cuba. Also, visitors or tourists will have no time limit or travel frequency limitations. The initiative also plans to increase communications with Cuba as well as negotiations to find and implement such facilities.
The changes, though, do not include the lifting of the US trade embargo on Cuba. This policy change will necessitate a Congressional approval. Obama’s move is purely diplomatic. To truly forge a new US-Cuba relation, a change in US foreign policy towards Cuba will be needed.
The United States Embargo against Cuba has been in effect since 1962. It is a commercial, economic, and financial trade prohibition leveled against the Castro government. It is recorded as the most enduring trade embargo in modern history.
