FACT SHEET: Charting a New Course on Cuba
Yesterday, the United States is taking historic steps to
chart a new course in our relations with Cuba and to further engage and empower
the Cuban people. We are separated by 90
miles of water, but brought together through the relationships between the two
million Cubans and Americans of Cuban descent that live in the United States,
and the 11 million Cubans who share similar hopes for a more positive future
for Cuba.
It is clear that decades of U.S. isolation of Cuba
have failed to accomplish our enduring objective of promoting the emergence of
a democratic, prosperous, and stable Cuba.
At times, longstanding U.S. policy towards Cuba has isolated the United
States from regional and international partners, constrained our ability to
influence outcomes throughout the Western Hemisphere, and impaired the use of
the full range of tools available to the United States to promote positive
change in Cuba. Though this policy has
been rooted in the best of intentions, it has had little effect – today, as in
1961, Cuba is governed by the Castros and the Communist party.
We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a
different result. It does not serve
America’s interests, or the Cuban people, to try to push Cuba toward
collapse. We know from hard-learned
experience that it is better to encourage and support reform than to impose
policies that will render a country a failed state. With our actions today, we are calling on
Cuba to unleash the potential of 11 million Cubans by ending unnecessary
restrictions on their political, social, and economic activities. In that spirit, we should not allow U.S.
sanctions to add to the burden of Cuban citizens we seek to help.
Today, we are renewing our leadership in the
Americas. We are choosing to cut loose
the anchor of the past, because it is entirely necessary to reach a better
future – for our national interests, for the American people, and for the Cuban
people.
Key Components of the Updated Policy Approach:
Since taking office in 2009, President Obama has
taken steps aimed at supporting the ability of the Cuban people to gain greater
control over their own lives and determine their country’s future. Today, the President announced additional
measures to end our outdated approach, and to promote more effectively change in
Cuba that is consistent with U.S. support for the Cuban people and in line with
U.S. national security interests. Major
elements of the President’s new approach include:
Establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba-
The President has instructed the Secretary of State
to immediately initiate discussions with Cuba on the re-establishment of
diplomatic relations with Cuba, which were severed in January 1961.
In the coming months, we will re-establish an
embassy in Havana and carry out high-level exchanges and visits between our two
governments as part of the normalization process. As an initial step, the Assistant Secretary
of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs will lead the U.S. Delegation to the
next round of U.S.-Cuba Migration Talks in January 2015, in Havana.
U.S. engagement will be critical when appropriate
and will include continued strong support for improved human rights conditions
and democratic reforms in Cuba and other measures aimed at fostering improved
conditions for the Cuban people.
The United States will work with Cuba on matters of
mutual concern and that advance U.S. national interests, such as migration, counter-narcotics, environmental protection, and trafficking in persons, among
other issues.
Adjusting regulations to more effectively empower
the Cuban people-
The changes announced today will soon be implemented
via amendments to regulations of the Departments of the Treasury and
Commerce. Our new policy changes will
further enhance our goal of empowering the Cuban population.
Our travel and remittance policies are helping
Cubans by providing alternative sources of information and opportunities for
self-employment and private property ownership, and by strengthening
independent civil society.
These measures will further increase people-to-people
contact; further support civil society in Cuba; and further enhance the free
flow of information to, from, and among the Cuban people. Persons must comply with all provisions of
the revised regulations; violations of the terms and conditions are enforceable
under U.S. law.
Facilitating an expansion of travel under general
licenses for the 12 existing categories of travel to Cuba authorized by law-
General licenses will be made available for all
authorized travelers in the following existing categories: (1) family visits;
(2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain
intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional
research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious
activities; (7) public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other
competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support for the Cuban people; (9)
humanitarian projects; (10) activities of private foundations or research or
educational institutes; (11) exportation, importation, or transmission of
information or information materials; and (12) certain export transactions that
may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines.
Travelers in the 12 categories of travel to Cuba
authorized by law will be able to make arrangements through any service
provider that complies with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC) regulations governing travel services to Cuba, and general
licenses will authorize provision of such services.
The policy changes make it easier for Americans to
provide business training for private Cuban businesses and small farmers and
provide other support for the growth of Cuba’s nascent private sector. Additional options for promoting the growth
of entrepreneurship and the private sector in Cuba will be explored.
Facilitating remittances to Cuba by U.S. persons-
Remittance levels will be raised from $500 to $2,000
per quarter for general donative remittances to Cuban nationals (except to
certain officials of the government or the Communist party); and donative
remittances for humanitarian projects, support for the Cuban people, and
support for the development of private businesses in Cuba will no longer
require a specific license.
Remittance forwarders will no longer require a
specific license.
Authorizing expanded commercial sales/exports from
the United States of certain goods and services-
The expansion will seek to empower the nascent Cuban
private sector. Items that will be
authorized for export include certain building materials for private
residential construction, goods for use by private sector Cuban entrepreneurs,
and agricultural equipment for small farmers.
This change will make it easier for Cuban citizens to have access to
certain lower-priced goods to improve their living standards and gain greater
economic independence from the state.
Authorizing American citizens to import additional
goods from Cuba-
Licensed U.S. travelers to Cuba will be authorized
to import $400 worth of goods from Cuba, of which no more than $100 can consist
of tobacco products and alcohol combined.
Facilitating authorized transactions between the
United States and Cuba-
U.S. institutions will be permitted to open
correspondent accounts at Cuban financial institutions to facilitate the
processing of authorized transactions.
The regulatory definition of the statutory term
“cash in advance” will be revised to specify that it means “cash before
transfer of title”; this will provide more efficient financing of authorized
trade with Cuba.
U.S. credit and debit cards will be permitted for
use by travelers to Cuba.
These measures will improve the speed, efficiency,
and oversight of authorized payments between the United States and Cuba.
Initiating new efforts to increase Cubans’ access to
communications and their ability to communicate freely-
Cuba has an internet penetration of about five
percent—one of the lowest rates in the world.
The cost of telecommunications in Cuba is exorbitantly high, while the
services offered are extremely limited.
The commercial export of certain items that will
contribute to the ability of the Cuban people to communicate with people in the
United States and the rest of the world will be authorized. This will include the commercial sale of
certain consumer communications devices, related software, applications, hardware,
and services, and items for the establishment and update of
communications-related systems.
Telecommunications providers will be allowed
to establish the necessary mechanisms, including infrastructure, in Cuba to
provide commercial telecommunications and internet services, which will improve
telecommunications between the United States and Cuba.
Updating the application of Cuba sanctions in third
countries-
U.S.-owned or -controlled entities in third
countries will be generally licensed to provide services to, and engage in
financial transactions with, Cuban individuals in third countries. In addition, general licenses will unblock
the accounts at U.S. banks of Cuban nationals who have relocated outside of
Cuba; permit U.S. persons to participate in third-country professional meetings
and conferences related to Cuba; and, allow foreign vessels to enter the United
States after engaging in certain humanitarian trade with Cuba, among other
measures.
Pursuing discussions with the Cuban and Mexican
governments to discuss our unresolved maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mexico-
Previous agreements between the United States and
Cuba delimit the maritime space between the two countries within 200 nautical
miles from shore. The United States,
Cuba, and Mexico have extended continental shelf in an area within the Gulf of
Mexico where the three countries have not yet delimited any boundaries.
The United States is prepared to invite the
governments of Cuba and Mexico to discuss shared maritime boundaries in the
Gulf of Mexico.
Initiating a review of Cuba’s designation as a State
Sponsor of Terrorism-
The President has instructed the Secretary of State
to immediately launch such a review, and provide a report to the President
within six months regarding Cuba’s support for international terrorism. Cuba was placed on the list in 1982.
Addressing Cuba’s participation in the 2015 Summit
of the Americas in Panama-
President Obama will participate in the Summit of
the Americas in Panama. Human rights and
democracy will be key Summit themes.
Cuban civil society must be allowed to participate along with civil
society from other countries participating in the Summit, consistent with the
region’s commitments under the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The United States welcomes a constructive
dialogue among Summit governments on the Summit’s principles.
Unwavering Commitment to Democracy, Human Rights,
and Civil Society
A critical focus of our increased engagement will
include continued strong support by the United States for improved human rights
conditions and democratic reforms in Cuba.
The promotion of democracy supports universal human rights by empowering
civil society and a person’s right to speak freely, peacefully assemble, and
associate, and by supporting the ability of people to freely determine their
future. Our efforts are aimed at
promoting the independence of the Cuban people so they do not need to rely on
the Cuban state.
The U.S. Congress funds democracy programming in
Cuba to provide humanitarian assistance, promote human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and support the free flow of information in places where it is
restricted and censored. The
Administration will continue to implement U.S. programs aimed at promoting
positive change in Cuba, and we will encourage reforms in our high level
engagement with Cuban officials.
The United States encourages all nations and
organizations engaged in diplomatic dialogue with the Cuban government to take
every opportunity both publicly and privately to support increased respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.
Ultimately, it will be the Cuban people who drive
economic and political reforms. That is
why President Obama took steps to increase the flow of resources and
information to ordinary Cuban citizens in 2009, 2011, and today. The Cuban people deserve the support of the
United States and of an entire region that has committed to promote and defend
democracy through the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
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