Donald Trump signs a memorandum to toughen US policy on Cuba

Washington.- The President of United States, Donald Trump, signed this Monday a memorandum to toughen the US policy on Cuba and restrict certain financial and travel transactions. The document “ends economic practices that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, armed forces, intelligence or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people,” the White House said in a statement. In this regard, the U.S. government prohibits “direct or indirect” financial transactions with entities controlled by the Cuban military, such as Grupo de Administración Empresarial SA (GAESA) and its affiliates, the document stated. It also states that the legal prohibition of US tourism to Cuba will be enforced through periodic audits and the control of records of all travel-related transactions for at least five years.

Trump Signs Return to a Hardline Cuba Policy

These indications, which will begin to take effect in the next 30 days, support the economic embargo against Cuba and oppose measures that demand the end of this blockade in United Nations (UN) and other international forums.

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The fact sheet also demands a review of human rights abuses in Cuba, “including illegal detentions and inhumane treatment, and requires a report on fugitives from American justice who live in Cuba or are sheltered by the Cuban government,” the U.S. Government indicated. As things stand, these new measures reverse the revocation by the Administration of former President Joe Biden, which “relieved pressure on the Cuban regime” on some of the restrictions that Trump had imposed during his first term (2017-2021), according to the White House.