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handle is hein.crs/govebvr0001 and id is 1 raw text is: UpdatedJanuary 13, 2021 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 Cuban government. In 2014, the Obama Administration initiateda policy shift away from sanctions and toward engagement andthe normalization ofrelations. Changes included the rescission of Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism(May 2015); the restoration of diplomatic 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 (CACR), administeredby the Treasury Department, andthe Export AdministrationRegulations, administered by the Commerce Department. The restoration ofrelations led to increased government-to-government engagement, with over 20 bilateral agreements and numerous dialogues. President Trump unveiled a newpolicy toward Cubain 2017, introducingnew sanctions and rolling backefforts to normalize relations. By 2019, the Administration had largely abandoned engagement and had increased sanctions to pres sure the Cuban government on human rights and for its support of the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro. In 2020, the Administration significantly incieased restrictions on travel and remittances. Cuban Political and Economic Developments. In April 2018, Miguel Dfaz-Canel, who was serving as first vice president, succeeded Radl Castro as president. Castro continues to head the Cuban Communist Party until 2021. The selection of Dfaz-Canel, now 60 years old, reflected the generational changein Cuban leadership thatbegan several years ago and marks the first time since the 1959 Cuban revolution that a Castro is notin charge of the government. While in power from2006 to 2018, Radl Castro began to implement significanteconomic policy changes, moving toward a more mixed economy with a strongerprivate sector, buthis government's slow, gradualist approach did not produce major economic improvements. In 2019, Cuba adopted a new constitution with such changes as an appointedprime ministerto oversee government operations; 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 andforeign investment promotion. The new constitution also ensuredthe state's dominance over the economy and the Communist Party's predominantrole. The Cuban economy is being hard-hit by Venezuela's economic crisis, which h as reduced Venezuela's support for Cuba; increased U.S. economic sanctions, which have hurt Cuba's nascentprivate sector; and the economic decline associatedwith the Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic. The Cuban government reports theeconomy contracted 11% in 2020. Cuba announced some economic reforms in July 2020 and, on January 1, 2021, eliminated its dual currency system, a major reform that has beenlong debated. Economists maintain the currency reformwill have high costs initially but should boost productivity and development over the longer term. Cuba's public health responseto the pandemic appears to have beeneffective. As of January 12, 2021, the country reported 155 deaths, with a mortality rate of 1.37 per 100,000 people (among the lowest in the hemisphere), according to Johns Hopkins University. Cuba has provided international as sistance for pandemic response by sending over 3,700 medicalprofessionalsto almost40countries. Cuba has a poor record on human rights, with the government sharply restricting freedoms of expression and other basic rights. As ofJanuary 4,2021, the human rights group Cub an Prisoners Defenders listed 138 political prisoners, with 74 imprisoned forreasons ofconscience. A November 2020 government crackdown on the San Isidro Movement, a civil society group opposedto the government's restrictions on artistic expres sion, spurred a protestby s everalhundred Cub ans, many young artis ts, and galvanized international attention on human rights in Cuba. Trump Administration Sanctions. President Trump is sued a national security presidential memorandumin June 2017 that introduced new sanctions, including restrictions on transactions with companies controlled by the Cuban military. The State Department is sued a list ofrestricted entities in 2017, which has beenupdated severaltimes, most recently January 8,2021. The Cuba restricted list includes 231 entities and subentities, including 2ministries, 5 holding companies and 55 of their subentities, 111 hotels, 2 tourist agencies, 5 marinas, 10 stores in Old Havana, and 41 entities serving defense and security sectors. Since 2019, the Administration has imposed additional increasingly strong sanctions. In addition to those notedbelow, it has highlighted allegations ofcoercive labor practices in Cuba's foreign medical mis sions. Flforts to Stop Venezuelan Oil Exports to Cuba. Since April2019, the Treasury Department has imposed s anctions on s everal shipping companies and vessels that transported Venezuelanoilto Cuba. In July 2019, it s anctioned Cuba's state-run oilimport/export comp any. Lawsuits Related to ConfiscatedProperty. Effective May 2, 2019, the Administration allowed the right to file lawsuits against those trafficking in confiscatedpropety in Cub a purs uant to Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-114). Lawsuits can be brought by any U.S. national,

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