Washington June 4
The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed major new travel restrictions on visits to Cuba by US citizens, banning stops by cruise ships and ending a heavily used form of educational travel as it seeks to further isolate the communist government.
The Treasury Department announced that the US will no longer allow cruises to Cuba or the group educational and cultural trips known as ‘people-to-people’ travel to the island.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the measures are a response to what it calls Cuba’s ‘destabilising role’ in the Western Hemisphere, including support for the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
“This administration has made a strategic decision to reverse the loosening of sanctions and other restrictions on the Cuban regime,” Mnuchin said.
Cruise ships have brought thousands of Americans to Cuba since the US began restoring full diplomatic relations with the communist government in December 2014 and have provided an important economic lifeline to the island.
Along with the cruise ships, the US will also now ban most private planes and boats from stopping in the island.
“Consequently, private and corporate aircraft, cruise ships, sailboats, fishing boats, and other similar aircraft and vessels generally will be prohibited from going to Cuba,” according to the new rules published by the Commerce Department. — AP
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2HU802J
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