PANAM POST – The president of the United States, Donald Trump, advances in his determination to siege the tyrannies of the continent. On Wednesday, September 23, the White House announced new sanctions against Cuba, which include prohibiting Americans from staying in hotels owned by the Cuban government, as well as from buying alcohol and tobacco to take back to their country, EFE news agency reported.
For the past three years, the Trump government has maintained a veto on companies controlled by Cuba’s military, intelligence, and security services. The Armed Forces control a large part of the lodging sites on the island. With the new measure, Washington blocks all lodgings.
The head of the U.S. State Department’s policy towards Cuba and Venezuela said in a statement to the press that this measure affects a total of 443 hotels in Cuba.
Ban on bringing Cuban alcohol and tobacco into the U.S.
The measure to be implemented through the Treasury Department also prohibits Americans visiting Cuba from bringing back alcohol or tobacco products of Cuban origin. Until now, a directive from Barack Obama was in force, allowing people to legally bring up to 100 dollars worth of such products in their luggage.
This new resolution also eliminates the authorization that allowed Americans to attend or organize professional meetings or conferences in Cuba. With these new rules, such activities will be possible only upon request for exceptional cases.
Cutting income to the Cuban regime
On August 13, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the suspension of private charter flights between Cuba and the United States. Two weeks ago, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Havana International Bank, the only Cuban-owned bank operating outside the island.
The Republican leader’s policy has focused on financially strangling the Cuban regime by cutting its revenue capabilities.
Since his arrival to power, Donald Trump started to reverse the process of normalization of relations that Barack Obama had initiated.
