U.S. further facilitates exports and travel to Cuba

The United States government announced Tuesday the further easing of restrictions on exports and travel to Cuba as part of the bilateral accord reached just over a year ago.

In a joint statement, the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Department announced new amendments to the sanctions associated with the economic embargo imposed on the island, which, among other measures, eliminate restrictions on certain payment and financing terms for authorized exports to Cuba.

Among the other changes announced Tuesday are measures to “further facilitate travel” to Cuba within the authorized categories.

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said in the joint statement that these actions, like the ones enacted over the past year, “send a clear message to the world: the United States is committed to empowering and enabling economic advancements for the Cuban people.”

“We have been working to enable the free flow of information between Cubans and Americans and will continue to take the steps necessary to help the Cuban people achieve the political and economic freedom that they deserve,” Lew said.

In December, coinciding with the 1st anniversary of the start of the bilateral thaw, the resumption of regular direct flights between the two countries was announced.

Nonetheless, it will take months before U.S. airlines will be able to sell tickets for flights to Cuba, nor will the reestablishment of direct postal service take place immediately, though that was also announced in December.

Among the more complicated matters yet to be resolved for complete normalization is the compensation sought for American goods on the island that were nationalized following the victory of the Cuban Revolution, and the compensation demanded by Havana for damages inflicted by the U.S. economic embargo.

As for the embargo, though President Barack Obama has taken executive decisions to ease travel and some areas of trade, its complete repeal depends on Congress, currently controlled in both houses by Republicans, who largely oppose its elimination.

During his Jan. 12 State of the Union speech, Obama again urged Congress to recognize that “the Cold War is over” by raising the embargo on Cuba.

The United States government now hopes the Cuban regime will continue to move forward and schedule a visit by Obama to the island this year.