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CUBA POLITICS SECTION - Havana Journal > US Embargo
When will the President announce the easing of Cuba travel restrictions?
Since President Obama is on vacation on Martha’s Vineyard here in Massachusetts through this weekend, I don’t think we’ll have any announcement about easing Cuba travel restrictions on Americans until next week.
Congress is back after Labor Day and since many believe he will make an announcement before Congress returns.
Assuming he will not make the announcement while he is on vacation and assuming he wants to make the announcement before Congress returns then one might expect the announcement to be timed for next week. If not…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
Several articles have been published regarding the new US Cuba travel policy that is expected soon from the Obama Administration.
From CNN Obama administration preparing to loosen rules on Cuba travel
The Obama administration is preparing to announce new rules allowing some travel to Cuba, along with an expanded ability for Americans to send economic assistance, a senior U.S. official and congressional sources said Wednesday.
According to two congressional aides briefed informally on the plans, the administration is expected to announce “soon” that it…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
Cuba watchers have had high expectations in recent days from several reports from unnamed sources close to the Obama Administration who have been leaking bits and pieces of information regarding a number of potential Cuba travel opportunities for all Americans, not just Cuban Americans.
General speaking, this is a summary of the potential announcements expected soon from President Obama:
1. Loosen travel to Cuba restrictions on academic, religious and cultural groups - the new policy would expand current channels for travel to Cuba, rather than create new ones. Academic, religious and cultural groups can…
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BY JUAN O. TAMAYO | Miami Herald
The U.S. State Department has added a top Cuba analyst to its Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) staff, and appointed a career diplomat as the new head of its Cuban affairs section.
Daniel P. Erikson, a senior associate with the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington and author of a book on Cuba-U.S. relations, is now a senior advisor at WHA, headed by Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela.
His duties are still being defined, U.S. government officials said, but he’s likely to play at least some role in carrying out the diplomatic side…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
Cuba watchers know that US Cuba relations have been “abnormal”, to say the least, for decades and Fidel wants it that way.
Whenever there is any substantial talk of easing the Embargo in the US, Fidel et al make a strategic move to sabotage any loosening of the US Embargo.
Carter was talking about easing the Embargo then came the Mariel Boat Lift.
Clinton was talking about easing the Embargo then came the Brothers to the Rescue shoot down.
Now, in April of this year Secretary Clinton…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman John S. Tanner held a hearing on U.S.-Cuba policy today and a request for comments was put out to the public.
I took the opportunity to submit my thoughts about the Embargo in the letter below but first some background on the Hearing.
Hearing Introduction
The hearing information page stated that the Obama Administration has already taken certain steps to address the U.S.-Cuba relationship, including lifting restrictions on family travel and remittances. Commentators and policymakers have proposed various other steps the United States should consider taking…
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Reuters
Cuba’s President Raul Castro and his brother, ex-leader Fidel Castro, have sought to sabotage U.S. moves to improve ties because they fear it will threaten their power, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday.
Clinton said Cuba’s response to Obama administration efforts to enhance cooperation revealed “an intransigent, entrenched regime” that had no interest in political reform or ending the isolation imposed by Washington’s 48-year old economic embargo on the island.
“It is my personal belief that the Castros do not want to see an end to the embargo and do no want to see normalization with the…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
A new ruling from OFAC regarding Cuban Assets Control Regulations, effective immediately, states that US companies can export certain services “incident to the exchange of personal communications over the Internet”.
This new action will allow Cuban citizens to access various instant messaging, blogging and social networking services based in the US. Cubans theoretically will have access to popular social networking services like Google’s Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft Hotmail and other personal communication services as long as the Cuban government allows their use.
On April…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
This is the current list (updated March 8, 2010) of Cuba Service Providers as provided by the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control featuring authorized providers of carrier, travel and remittance forwarding services to Cuba.
Legend
CSP: Carrier Service Provider
TSP: Travel Service Provider
RF: Remittance Forwarder
Format
Company Name
(Service Provider Code) Category Phone Number
Contact
Address
Cuba Service Providers
A Better Choice Travel
(002) CSP, TSP (305) 263-6555
Incorporated as ABC Charters, Inc.
Ms.…
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BBC World News America - Harris Poll
Almost fifty years ago the eyes of the world were on the interplay between the United States and Cuba during the Bay of Pigs and then the Cuban Missile Crisis. Luckily, those thirteen days passed with no major escalation, but the stage was set for ice-cold relations between the two countries for most of the next five decades.
23% of Americans say that the government of Cuba is unfriendly and an enemy of the United States
63% say Cuba’s government is not friendly, but not an enemy
12% say Cuba is a…
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