U.S. applies sanctions to Cubans
Havana, July 14 (RHC)-- The U.S. government has begun applying sanctions to Cubans with dual nationality and foreigners visiting Cuba, reports Granma newspaper today.
Unless there are limited exceptions, travelers who have visited Cuba as of January 12, 2021 will not be eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). They will need to apply for a visa to enter the country.
On that date, just 8 days before the end of Donald Trump's term, the U.S. State Department made official the designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, according to the island's official newspaper.
The sanctions, in addition to being related to the unjust and arbitrary list, are part of the hostile and blockade policies towards the Caribbean nation. It also expresses the points of contact of the Biden administration with the line of his predecessor, multiplying by zero the guidelines of his electoral campaign regarding Cuba.
The perfidious purpose behind this decision is to alienate Cuban emigrants from their country of origin and to harm the tourism industry, which plays an essential role in the economy.
As a consequence, the U.S. Embassy in Spain, a country that hosts many Cubans with dual nationality, has published, under the label Important Notice! that "those persons who have traveled to Cuba since January 12, 2021 will no longer be able to enter the United States with the ESTA authorization and, instead, must apply for a visa".
This affects all European Union citizens, who are exempt from visa requirements and only need to obtain an entry authorization through ESTA. However, they will not be able to use this mechanism if they visit Cuba.
Biden continues to turn a deaf ear to the multiple demands of the international community, governments, organizations and the Cuban civil society demanding the elimination of Cuba from the "list of countries that sponsor terrorism", a decision that seeks to isolate the island and cause economic hardship to its population. (Taken from the Granma newspaper).
