Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Washington, D.C.- U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new memorandum reinforcing the ban on tourism to Cuba and tightening economic restrictions on the island. According to a Reuters source at the White House, the measure aims to adopt a more hardline stance against the Cuban regime, in contrast to what it calls the lenient policies of the Biden administration.
The directive includes orders for periodic audits and the maintenance of detailed travel records for at least five years, as part of efforts to prevent tourism from serving as a loophole to bypass sanctions. The administration argues that tourism generates revenue for the Cuban government and undermines previous enforcement efforts.
The memorandum also emphasizes support for civil society in Cuba, calling for free internet access, press freedom, the growth of private enterprise independent of the state, and the protection of freedom of association.
Meanwhile, Cuba’s Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, has proposed the creation of a regional visa similar to the Schengen visa in Europe, to simplify travel between multiple countries and attract international tourists. He argued that such a system would reduce border bureaucracy and allow the region to share the benefits of long-distance tourism flows.
