Monday, January 17, 2011

Cuba sees "positive" but "insufficient" Obama's measures to ease travel and shipment of money

Raul Castro's government has received as a fact, "positive" but "insufficient" the final steps of the administration of Barack Obama to ease some restrictions on travel to Cuba from the United States and send money to Cubans, announced last week Washington. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) of Cuba, the measures are generally positive but "have a very limited scope and not change the policy against Cuba," so that "fall far short" of the claims Havana to put an end to U.S.

embargo that has lasted half a century. On Friday, U.S. President ordered authorize academic and religious travel to Cuba, as well as allow all U.S. citizens to send money to anyone on the island, but have no kinship. It also allowed direct flights to the island from several U.S. cities.

These measures may have some impact on the island, especially those relating to sending money, at a time when the Government seeks to encourage private initiative and self-employment and job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of officials and workers who will lose their jobs in state institutions or enterprises in the coming months.

The Foreign Ministry, however, believes that the easing of travel restrictions does not change the U.S. embargo and its hostile policy toward the island. "These measures confirm that there is no will to change the policy of blockade and destabilization against Cuba," the statement said.

The White House, announcing the weekend its decision, noted that the relaxation seeks to "promote personal contacts and information flow so that Cubans decide their future freely." According to the Cuban government Obama administration intends to use the new measures "to strengthen the instruments of subversion and interference in the internal affairs of Cuba."
Posted by Manlio Gandolfi at 3:22 PM

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