US Gov’t Imposes New Restrictions on Travel to Cuba

The US Treasury Department said it would also deny permission for private and corporate aircraft and boats to fly or sail to the neiboring island. However, commercial airline flights appear to be unaffected and travel for university groups, academic research, journalism and professional meetings will continue to be allowed.

The Treasury Department released in a statement that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) submitted some amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulation (CACR) to implement the Trump´s policy, whose administration has been marked by growing hostility against Cuba.

The new US restrictions, which will take effect on Wednesday, answer to announcements made on April 17 by National Security Adviser John Bolton in an aggressive speech in Florida, by announcing that new restrictions were going to be implemented to non-family trips to Cuba.

Such measures pay no mind to demands of many US sectors which fight to eliminate travel restrictions to Cuba, a nation to which US citizens are barred from visiting as tourists.

Furthermore, while Trump’s administration holds a discourse about allegedly supporting the Cuban people on the island, the new bans however will have a negative impact on Cuba, mainly in the private sector. (Taken from Prensa Latina)