On June 4, 2019, the U.S. Department of State announced new travel restriction for American citizens visiting Cuba limiting access for cruises, organized tours, as well as any private or recreational vessels or aircraft. Some cruise lines have already canceled port calls and sailings to the southern island country, forced to consider alternative schedules.
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515 (CACR), to further implement portions of the President’s foreign policy toward Cuba. In accordance with newly announced changes to non-family travel to Cuba, OFAC is amending the CACR to remove the authorization for group people-to-people educational travel. The CACR amendment will be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday June 5, 2019, at which time the changes will take effect.
OFAC: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RELATED TO CUBA
Citing humanitarian efforts, the U.S. Department of State explained the action as a direct result of Cuba’s support of Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro:
Today, the United States took strong action to prevent U.S. travel to Cuba from enriching the Cuban military, security, and intelligence services by announcing new restrictions on authorized travel and vessels to the island.
Going forward, the United States will prohibit U.S. travelers from going to Cuba under the previous ‘group people-to-people educational’ travel authorization. In addition, the United States will no longer permit visits to Cuba via passenger and recreational vessels, including cruise ships and yachts, and private and corporate aircraft.
The United States holds the Cuban regime accountable for its repression of the Cuban people, its interference in Venezuela, and its direct role in the man-made crisis led by Nicolas Maduro. Despite widespread international condemnation, Maduro continues to undermine his country’s institutions and subvert the Venezuelan people’s right to self-determination. Empowered by Cuba, he has created a humanitarian disaster that destabilizes the region.
These actions are directly linked to the tourism industry, which has strong economic ties to the Cuban security, military, and intelligence sectors in Cuba. Veiled tourism has served to line the pockets of the Cuban military, the very same people supporting Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela and repressing the Cuban people on the island. In Cuba, the regime continues to harass, intimidate, and jail Cubans who dare to voice an opinion different from the one the regime wants them to have. The United States calls on the regime to abandon its repression of Cubans, cease its interference in Venezuela, and work toward building a stable, prosperous, and free country for the Cuban people.
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