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| Treasury eases restrictions on travel to Cuba | Treasury eases restrictions on travel to Cuba |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Americans will be allowed to travel to Cuba for individual “people-to-people” exchanges under new regulations announced Tuesday by the Treasury Department ahead of President Obama’s trip to the island this weekend. | Americans will be allowed to travel to Cuba for individual “people-to-people” exchanges under new regulations announced Tuesday by the Treasury Department ahead of President Obama’s trip to the island this weekend. |
| Those previously wanting to visit Cuba were required to travel under a general license issued to organizations sponsoring authorized trips. Although visits purely for tourism remain prohibited, the new regulations shift the responsibility for legal trips to individuals who declare they will engage in “educational” purposes. They follow the signing of a new U.S.-Cuba commercial airlines agreement that is expected to bring the first U.S. flights to Cuba later this year. | Those previously wanting to visit Cuba were required to travel under a general license issued to organizations sponsoring authorized trips. Although visits purely for tourism remain prohibited, the new regulations shift the responsibility for legal trips to individuals who declare they will engage in “educational” purposes. They follow the signing of a new U.S.-Cuba commercial airlines agreement that is expected to bring the first U.S. flights to Cuba later this year. |
| [Obama to visit Cuba, just eight months after embassy reopens in Havana] | |
| The new regulations add to earlier rounds that have expanded travel and commerce since Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced 15 months ago that they would normalize relations after more than half a century of estrangement. Diplomatic ties were reestablished in July. | The new regulations add to earlier rounds that have expanded travel and commerce since Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced 15 months ago that they would normalize relations after more than half a century of estrangement. Diplomatic ties were reestablished in July. |
| “Today’s amendments build upon President Obama’s historic actions to improve our country’s relationship with Cuba and its people,” Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said in a statement. “These steps not only expand opportunities for economic engagement between the Cuban people and the American business community, but will also improve the lives of millions of Cuba’s citizens.” | “Today’s amendments build upon President Obama’s historic actions to improve our country’s relationship with Cuba and its people,” Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said in a statement. “These steps not only expand opportunities for economic engagement between the Cuban people and the American business community, but will also improve the lives of millions of Cuba’s citizens.” |
| The new regulations also allow Cuban citizens not seeking to immigrate to this country to earn salaries in the United States, a move that essentially permits performers and other temporary visitors to be paid here in dollars. They also expand access to the U.S. financial system, allowing increased dollar transactions for Cuban businesses. | The new regulations also allow Cuban citizens not seeking to immigrate to this country to earn salaries in the United States, a move that essentially permits performers and other temporary visitors to be paid here in dollars. They also expand access to the U.S. financial system, allowing increased dollar transactions for Cuban businesses. |
| [White House sees Cuba visit as chance to consolidate gains. Critics see caving.] | |
| A delegation of up to 30 senior business executives will accompany Obama on his trip to Cuba, the first by a U.S. president in almost 90 years, and the first state visit ever. | A delegation of up to 30 senior business executives will accompany Obama on his trip to Cuba, the first by a U.S. president in almost 90 years, and the first state visit ever. |
| He will leave late Sunday for a two-day visit that will include a meeting with Castro and with Cuban “civil society,” a roundtable with U.S. business leaders and Cuban entrepreneurs, and attendance at a baseball game between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays. Obama will then travel to Argentina before returning to Washington late next week. | He will leave late Sunday for a two-day visit that will include a meeting with Castro and with Cuban “civil society,” a roundtable with U.S. business leaders and Cuban entrepreneurs, and attendance at a baseball game between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays. Obama will then travel to Argentina before returning to Washington late next week. |
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