Despite his effort to roll back parts of his predecessor Barack Obama’s cuba policy, Trump stopped short of closing US embassy in Cuba. The president announced changes to Obama-era Cuba policy, and challenged the Castro government to negotiate a better deal. “They need to make sure that whatever businesses they open its going to benefit the people of Cuba not the regime”, says Raul Estrada, a Cuban America who served 6 years in the Marines. “Our partners have to be the Cuban people”, Diaz-Balart said, calling this a “win-win” for both America and the Cuban people. Individual “people-to-people” trips will again be prohibited.
Florida Governor Rick Scott followed Rubio by saying that President Obama’s policy was a “capitulation” but Trump’s “will stand for freedom”.
Trudeau said there have been no conversations with Cuban officials about what role Canada might play in helping to foster a better U.S. -Cuba relationship. Only the U.S. Congress can lift it, and lawmakers, especially those of Cuban heritage, like Sen.
“The Cuban people want more Americans coming, they want opportunity”.
Opponents countered that the hardening of relations between the two countries will instead limit travel and economic development in the region.
The president vowed to very strictly enforce all USA laws when it comes to Cuba.
The president took the stage at a theater in Little Havana to chants of “Trump!”
Trump also thanked the Cuban-American community for strongly supporting him in the 2016 election, and thanked former rival for the Republican presidential nomination Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) for advice on Cuba and Venezuela.
Arkansas has had limited trade with Cuba under the embargo. Trump argued that the deal did not do enough to support human rights in Cuba and that it was one-sided, beneficial only to the Cuban military government which reaps the profits of tourism.
Individuals will still be allowed to send money to relatives in Cuba.
Jose Valiente once helped organize a trip to Cuba for Tampa’s Chamber of Commerce and believes the changes will hurt business in Tampa and in Cuba. “Not everybody here in Miami is in favor of a full reversal of the Obama administration policy….a total reversal of this policy would even outrage, I think, some of the hardliners that are in this crowd today”.
Not to mention, these new regulations won’t take effect for another few months… so if you have the chance to travel to Cuba, take it sooner than later!