Washington, January 3 (RHC)-- The digital lodging platform Airbnb paid a fine imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States for accepting guests in Cuba and violating sanctions on the island.

According to the government entity, the company accepted payments from Americans who traveled to the Caribbean country outside the 12 categories authorized by the White House.

The Treasury Department, to which OFAC belongs, informed Monday in a statement that Airbnb agreed to pay 91 000 dollars to settle its potential civil liability for the apparent violation.

Former National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, Ben Rhodes, called the fine "stupid, counterproductive and Trumpian" to deny Americans the ability to directly facilitate income to Cubans and establish connections between our people.

Since 2015 the company launched its services in Cuba, but restrictive measures subsequently adopted during the term of then-President Donald Trump and maintained with the current administration of Joe Biden limit its business scope.

2021 concluded for Havana with Washington's blockade intensified with the 243 provisions adopted by Trump to suffocate the largest of the Antilles, 55 of them amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his electoral campaign, Biden assured that he would reverse the Republican sanctions that harm Cuban families, reestablish travel, and address issues of mutual interest with the government of the Caribbean country. However, the hostile policy remains intact.