San Juan, August 24 (RHC)-- In Puerto Rico, Banco Popular, Inc. (BPOP) has announced that it is the second financial institution in the United States and the first in Puerto Rico to enable their credit cards for use in Cuba.

The MasterCard credit cards of its two banking subsidiaries, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico (BPPR) and Popular Community Bank (PCB), can now be used at any of Cuba's more than 11,000 authorized merchant terminals and ATMs throughout the Island.

Ignacio Alvarez, President and Chief Operating Officer of Banco Popular, said ability to use his bank's credit cards in Cuba will facilitate travel and promote interaction between their clients in Puerto Rico and the U.S. with the people in Cuba.

The Puerto Rican bank cautions though that U.S. citizens continue to be banned from visiting Cuba as tourists, and that their MasterCard cardholders will need to ensure that they travel under one of the 12 categories authorized by the United States.