White House Implements New Cuba Travel Restrictions

A series of measures increasing limits on Americans’ dealings with Cuba have been published by the White House.

The measures include a blacklist of state-owned companies and entities, including shops and hotels.

Most US citizens traveling to Cuba will now have to go as part of organized tour groups.

The measures come as part of a partial rollback of ex-President Barack Obama’s policy of engagement with Cuba, as announced by President Donald Trump in five months ago.

Officials have denied that any of these steps are related to the recent acoustic incidents, defined as “health attacks” by the state department against its officials in Havana.

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Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin laid out the new rules, which will take effect on November 9.

“We have strengthened our Cuba policies to channel economic activity away from the Cuban military and to encourage the government to move toward greater political and economic freedom for the Cuban people,” he said in a statement.

According to the statement, the aim is to maintain “opportunities for Americans to engage in authorized travel to Cuba and support the private, small business sector in Cuba”.

The measures include a ban on dealings with 180 state-run and military-owned companies – the interior and armed forces ministries, 83 hotels, two travel agencies, and five holding companies involved with the organized tourism sector, 10 Havana boutiques and two rum distilleries.

Restrictions have also been placed on people-to-people exchanges, a travel category under which Americans can stay with families in Cuba.

From now on, these exchanges can only take place “under the auspices of an organization subject to US jurisdiction” and accompanied by a representative of that organization.