About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (July 16, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govdaxq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: xa IS Ik Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview Since the early 1960s, when the United States imposed a trade embargo on Cuba, the centerpiece of U.S. policy toward Cuba has consisted of economic sanctions aimed at isolating the government. In 2014, the Obama Administration initiated a policy shift moving away fromsanctions toward engagement and the normalization of relations. Changes included the rescission of Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism(May 2015); the restorationofdiplomatic relations (July 2015); and an easing of restrictions on travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and banking and financial services (2015 and 2016, accomplished through amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, administered bythe Treasury Department, and the Export Administration Regulations, administered by the Commerce Department). The restoration of relations led to increased government-to-government engagement, with over 20 bilateral agreements and numerous bilateral dialogues. President Trump unveiled a newpolicy toward Cubain 2017, introducingnew sanctions and rolling backsome efforts to normalize relations. By 2019, the Trump Administration had largely abandoned engagement by increasing economic sanctions significantly to pressure the Cuban government for its humanrights record and support for the government of Nicolds Maduro in Venezuela. Cuban Political and Economic Developments. In April 2018, Miguel Dfaz-Canel, who was serving as first vice president, succeeded Raitl Castro as president, but Castro continues to head the Cuban Communist Party until 2021. The selection of Dfaz-Canel, now 60 years old, reflects the generational changein Cuban leadership that began several years ago and marks the first time since the 1959 Cuban revolution that a Castro is not in charge of the government. While in power from2006 to 2018, Raid Castro began to implement significant economic policy changes, moving toward a more mixed economy with a stronger private sector, but his government's slow, gradualist approach did not produce major improvements to the economy, which has experienced minimal growth in recent years. In a February 2019 referendum, Cubans approved a new constitution that introduced such changes as an appointed prie ministerto oversee governmentoperations; limits on the president's tenure (two five-year terms) and age (60, beginning first term); and market-oriented economic reforms, including the right to private property and the promotion of foreign investment. However, the new constitutionensures the state sector's dominance over the economy and the predominant role of the Communist Party. In October 2019, Cuba's National As sembly appointed Dfaz-Canel as president under the new constitution. In December 2019, Dfaz-Canel appointed touris mminis ter ManuelMarrero Cruz as prime minister, who reportedly will serve as the president's administrative right-hand man in implementing policy. The Cuban economy is being hard-hit by bothVenezuela's economic cris is, which has reduced Venezuela's support for Cub a, increased U.S. economic sanctions, and the econonr shutdown in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Before COVID-19, the Economist Intelligence Unit estimatedthe Cuban economy would contract 0.7% in 2020; it is now projecting an 8.3% decline. The global contraction in economic growth, trade, foreign investment, andtourismlikely will slow Cuba's post- COVID-19 economic recovery. Cuba's public health responseto the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have been effective to date. As of July 16, 2020, the country registered over 2,400 confirmed cases and 87 deaths, with a mortality rate of 0.77 per 100,000 people (compared to 41.76 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University). Cubahas provided international as sistance to respond to the pandemic by sending over 3,400 medical professionals to more than 30 countries worldwide, including in Europe, Africa, and throughout the Caribbean and Central America. The pandemic led to increased calls, including by United Nations officials, for the United States to ease s anctions to make it less difficult for Cuba to acquire needed equipment, supplies, and medicines to confront the health crisis. U.S. officials responded by maintaining that U.S. sanctions allow for such exports providing humanitarianrelief and as s is tance to the Cub an people. Trump Administration Sanctions. President Trump is s u ed a national s ecurity presidential memorandum in June 2017 that introduced new sanctions, including restrictions on trans actions with companies controlled by the Cuban military. The State Department is sued a list of restricted entities in 2017, which has beenupdated several times, mo s t recently in June 2020. The list includes 229 entities and subentities, including 2 ministries, 5 holding companies and 53 of their subentities, 111 hotels, 2 tourist agencies, 5 marinas, 10 stores in Old Havana, and41 entities serving defense and security sectors. Since 2019, the Administration has imposed a series of sanctions againstCuba forits poorhuman rightsrecordand its support for the Maduro government. The Administration also has targeted Cuba's foreign medical missions, a major foreign exchange earner, for not addressing allegations of coercive labor practices. Nevertheless, Cuba's medical diplomacy, has generated political goodwill, including recent support during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to Stop Venezuelan Oil Exports to Cuba. Since April 2019, the Treasury Department has imposed sanctions onseveral shipping companies and vessels A A '2 Updated July 16,2020

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most