WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has directed high-ranking members of his Cabinet to conduct an in-depth review of the United States’ policy concerning Cuba, aiming to amplify existing sanctions within a 30-day period.
Within a memorandum issued Monday, Trump urged that the assessments emphasize Cuba’s human rights record, mainly focusing on the nation’s treatment of dissidents and policies that benefit the government at the people’s expense. Further restrictions on financial interactions benefiting Cuba’s governmental bodies are also being considered.
The directive suggests a potentially major shift by proposing a crackdown on all tourist visits to the island and imposing limits on educational tours, mandating their organization solely by American citizens.
This move aligns with Trump’s earlier declarations to reverse the sanctions relief provided during the Democratic Obama-Biden era. Notably, President Biden had taken steps to remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism shortly before exiting office.
Trump’s memo further asserts support for the continued economic embargo against Cuba and counters global calls, including those from the United Nations, advocating for its cessation.
The reaction from Cuba was prompt, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez criticizing the U.S. decision. Rodríguez took to social media to express that the memorandum strengthens what Cuba deems an aggressive economic blockade that hinders national development, describing it as a violation of the Cuban populace’s human rights.
The Trump administration has designated Cuba as one of seven nations subjected to intensified visitor restrictions and has removed temporary legal shields for nearly 300,000 Cubans, safeguarding them from deportation until now.
There have also been visa limitations imposed on Cuban and foreign officials linked to Cuba’s international medical missions, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio has labeled as instances of “forced labor.”
In a recent discussion with U.S. reporters, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio accused the United States of undermining the medical missions’ credibility and criticized the halt of more welcoming policies for Cubans seeking entry into the U.S.
Rubio, whose family emigrated from Cuba prior to Castro’s communist takeover in the 1950s, remains a strong advocate for stringent sanctions against Cuba.
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