Cuban restrictions revised
Omkar Baxi
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: News
In an effort to increase democratic ideals in communist Cuba, President Barack Obama has announced a revision of U.S. policy regarding Cuba to lift restrictions on family travel and remittances.
According to a White House press release, the Obama administration is rethinking American restrictions regarding Cuba in order to bridge the gap between Cuban-Americans and relatives in their home country. The president has authorized the removal of restrictions on Cuban-American travel to Cuba and the amount of money that can be sent back to family members residing in Cuba.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the lift of travel restrictions marks a major change for American policy regarding Cuba since President Reagan's travel ban in 1982.
Obama said he hopes these new policy measures will not only create a greater friendship between the U.S. and Cuba, but also promote democracy in the communist nation.
According to the White House release, "Cuban American connections to family in Cuba are … our best tool for helping to foster the beginnings of grassroots democracy on the island. There are no better ambassadors for freedom than Cuban Americans."
However, not all Americans agree that a relaxed policy will promote democracy in Cuba. According to U.S. Congressmen Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), both of Cuban descent, the relaxed restrictions on how much money Cuban-Americans can send back to Cuba will allow greater revenue for the communist government, which collects a percentage of each transaction between Cuban-Americans and their relatives.
"President Obama has committed a serious mistake [with this policy] … which will provide [the Cuban government] with hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Unilateral concessions [like this policy] to the dictatorship embolden it to further isolate, imprison and brutalize pro-democracy activists," the Diaz-Balarts said in a joint press release.
Cuban President Raúl Castro has not yet unveiled a friendlier policy toward the U.S., despite Obama's actions. Historically, Cuba has not accepted democratic ideals, even under international pressure, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Discussion of American and Cuban relations will continue at the Summit of the Americas this weekend, where the heads of democratic nations in the Americas will meet to discuss international politics. Many Latin American countries would like to see a great relaxation of U.S. policy toward Cuba, which would be viewed as a greater inclination of the U.S. to work with the Latin American world, according to The Economist.
Although telecommunications companies will now be able to operate in Cuba under Obama's revised policy, a removal of the American trade embargo toward Cuba is unlikely without significant steps toward democracy from Castro's government.
According to a White House press release, the Obama administration is rethinking American restrictions regarding Cuba in order to bridge the gap between Cuban-Americans and relatives in their home country. The president has authorized the removal of restrictions on Cuban-American travel to Cuba and the amount of money that can be sent back to family members residing in Cuba.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the lift of travel restrictions marks a major change for American policy regarding Cuba since President Reagan's travel ban in 1982.
Obama said he hopes these new policy measures will not only create a greater friendship between the U.S. and Cuba, but also promote democracy in the communist nation.
According to the White House release, "Cuban American connections to family in Cuba are … our best tool for helping to foster the beginnings of grassroots democracy on the island. There are no better ambassadors for freedom than Cuban Americans."
However, not all Americans agree that a relaxed policy will promote democracy in Cuba. According to U.S. Congressmen Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), both of Cuban descent, the relaxed restrictions on how much money Cuban-Americans can send back to Cuba will allow greater revenue for the communist government, which collects a percentage of each transaction between Cuban-Americans and their relatives.
"President Obama has committed a serious mistake [with this policy] … which will provide [the Cuban government] with hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Unilateral concessions [like this policy] to the dictatorship embolden it to further isolate, imprison and brutalize pro-democracy activists," the Diaz-Balarts said in a joint press release.
Cuban President Raúl Castro has not yet unveiled a friendlier policy toward the U.S., despite Obama's actions. Historically, Cuba has not accepted democratic ideals, even under international pressure, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Discussion of American and Cuban relations will continue at the Summit of the Americas this weekend, where the heads of democratic nations in the Americas will meet to discuss international politics. Many Latin American countries would like to see a great relaxation of U.S. policy toward Cuba, which would be viewed as a greater inclination of the U.S. to work with the Latin American world, according to The Economist.
Although telecommunications companies will now be able to operate in Cuba under Obama's revised policy, a removal of the American trade embargo toward Cuba is unlikely without significant steps toward democracy from Castro's government.
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