US Lifts Curbs on Cuba

In line with his campaign promise to improve the US’s relations with its communist neighbour and long-time adversary Cuba, President Barack Obama has lifted the restrictions governing travel and money transfers by Cuban Americans to the island. American telecom companies will also be allowed to enter into agreements to establish fibre-optic cable and satellite communications facilities linking the US and Cuba.

The US will also permit US satellite broadcasts to the island.The Obama Administration, however, has made it clear that it is not lifting the broader trade embargo that was imposed on Cuba back in 1962 by the John F. Kennedy Administration.

Towards Better Relations
The decision aimed at easing the Washington relationship with Cuba, breaking from policies first imposed by the Kennedy administration and stepping into an emotional debate over the best way to bring democratic change to one of the last remaining communist regimes.

An estimated 1.5 million Americans have relatives on the island nation that turned to communist rule in 1959 when Fidel Castro seized control. Far from making things easy for Fidel or his brother and current President Raul Castro, the measures aim at reaching out to the Cuban people as part of the “promotion of democracy and human rights in Cuba”.

The decision to lift travel and spending restrictions on Americans with family on the island will provide new support for the opponents of Raul and Fidel Castro’s Government. And the lifting the ban on US telecommunications companies reaching out to the island will flood Cuba with information while providing new opportunities for businesses.

Obama left in place the broad trade embargo imposed on Cuba in 1962. But just days before leaving to attend a summit with the leaders of South and Central America, he reversed restrictions that barred US citizens from visiting their Cuban relatives more than once every three years and lifted limits on the amount of money and goods Cuban Americans can send back to their families. He also cleared away virtually all US regulations that had stopped American companies from attempting to bring their high-tech services and information to the island.

Rule Under Law
Under the new rules, there is likely to be an explosion of new charter flights to the island, and direct commercial flights could follow. Gifts and money will flow freely from US relatives for the first time. And the announcement could open the door for the American information revolution to enter the island nation — in the form of Howard Stern on Sirius radio, iPhones and Wikipedia.

The moves were hailed by many advocates of greater openness toward the regime, including the business community, which sees new opportunities for commerce. But it was immediately criticized by those on the right and the left who said it either went too far or not far enough.