US Treasury Issues New Clarifications on Trump’s Cuba Policy

As Trump’s administration continues to work on regulations to implement its new policy toward Cuba, the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued clarifications Tuesday on the US provisional policy toward the island.

Luxury yacht trips to Cuba

Trips by luxury yachts to Cuba have flourished since September 2015, when the Treasury Department opened the door for the transport of passengers to the island by sea.

When President Donald Trump announced his new policy toward Cuba in Miami on June 16, OFAC said that the only category of travel authorized by American travelers that would be affected would be individual travel.

Trump said “such travel would be prohibited” because travelers have used that category to disguise trips that are purely tourism and will be prohibited by the United States.

However, in its new “Frequently Asked Questions” publication, OFAC says, without further explanation, that “The new policy will also affect certain categories of educational travel, as well as travel in support of the Cuban people.”

The new Frequently Asked Questions also clarify that people traveling to Cuba legally under the categories of permitted travel would not have to apply for licenses. Until the new rules are published, American travelers can continue to visit Cuba under 12 categories of permitted travel that were outlined during the Obama administration.

There is no specific date yet for the publication of the new regulations, according to the Treasury.

OFAC also clarified that the definition of Cuban government members who can not receive remittances from the US has expanded.

The Memorandum on Strengthening Cuba’s Trump Policy in Miami expanded the list to include, in addition to members of the Council of Ministers, which includes the president and senior military officials, members and employees of many other government entities, among they:

▪ The National Assembly of People’s Power

▪ Members of the provincial assemblies

▪ Local leaders of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution

▪ Directors-General, Deputy Directors and Senior Officials of all Cuban Ministries and State Agencies

▪ Employees of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense

▪ Members and employees of the Supreme Court of Cuba

The memorandum also includes as officials who are prohibited from receiving remittances to the secretaries and first secretaries of the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba and to the main editors of all state media.

 

The post US Treasury Issues New Clarifications on Trump’s Cuba Policy appeared first on CTN News.

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