Today President Obama announced the US
government's plan to normalize relations with Cuba. It's far too soon to
know how this will impact refugee resettlement/asylum cases coming out
of that country. The negotiations leading up to this were ongoing
throughout the last year and were facilitated by the Vatican and Canada.
Here is the text of the official statement from the White House (also available by clicking here). You can also watch the entire video of President Obama speaking and read the transcript of his statement by clicking here.
FACT SHEET: Charting a New Course on Cuba
Today, the United States is taking historic steps to chart a
new course in our relations with Cuba and to further engage and empower
the Cuban people. We are separated by 90 miles of water, but brought
together through the relationships between the two million Cubans and
Americans of Cuban descent that live in the United States, and the 11
million Cubans who share similar hopes for a more positive future for
Cuba.
It is clear that decades of U.S. isolation of Cuba have failed to
accomplish our enduring objective of promoting the emergence of a
democratic, prosperous, and stable Cuba. At times, longstanding U.S.
policy towards Cuba has isolated the United States from regional and
international partners, constrained our ability to influence outcomes
throughout the Western Hemisphere, and impaired the use of the full
range of tools available to the United States to promote positive change
in Cuba. Though this policy has been rooted in the best of intentions,
it has had little effect – today, as in 1961, Cuba is governed by the
Castros and the Communist party.
We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.
It does not serve America’s interests, or the Cuban people, to try to
push Cuba toward collapse. We know from hard-learned experience that it
is better to encourage and support reform than to impose policies that
will render a country a failed state. With our actions today, we are
calling on Cuba to unleash the potential of 11 million Cubans by ending
unnecessary restrictions on their political, social, and economic
activities. In that spirit, we should not allow U.S. sanctions to add
to the burden of Cuban citizens we seek to help.
Today, we are renewing our leadership in the Americas. We are
choosing to cut loose the anchor of the past, because it is entirely
necessary to reach a better future – for our national interests, for the
American people, and for the Cuban people.
Key Components of the Updated Policy Approach:
Since taking office in 2009, President Obama has taken steps aimed at
supporting the ability of the Cuban people to gain greater control over
their own lives and determine their country’s future. Today, the
President announced additional measures to end our outdated approach,
and to promote more effectively change in Cuba that is consistent with
U.S. support for the Cuban people and in line with U.S. national
security interests. Major elements of the President’s new approach
include:
Establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba-
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The President has instructed the Secretary of State to immediately
initiate discussions with Cuba on the re-establishment of diplomatic
relations with Cuba, which were severed in January 1961.
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In the coming months, we will re-establish an embassy in Havana and
carry out high-level exchanges and visits between our two governments as
part of the normalization process. As an initial step, the Assistant
Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs will lead the U.S.
Delegation to the next round of U.S.-Cuba Migration Talks in January
2015, in Havana.
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U.S. engagement will be critical when appropriate and will include
continued strong support for improved human rights conditions and
democratic reforms in Cuba and other measures aimed at fostering
improved conditions for the Cuban people.
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The United States will work with Cuba on matters of mutual concern and
that advance U.S. national interests, such as migration,
counternarcotics, environmental protection, and trafficking in persons,
among other issues.
Adjusting regulations to more effectively empower the Cuban people-
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The changes announced today will soon be implemented via amendments to
regulations of the Departments of the Treasury and Commerce. Our new
policy changes will further enhance our goal of empowering the Cuban
population.
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Our travel and remittance policies are helping Cubans by providing
alternative sources of information and opportunities for self-employment
and private property ownership, and by strengthening independent civil
society.
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These measures will further increase people-to-people contact; further
support civil society in Cuba; and further enhance the free flow of
information to, from, and among the Cuban people. Persons must comply
with all provisions of the revised regulations; violations of the terms
and conditions are enforceable under U.S. law.
Facilitating an expansion of travel under general licenses for the 12 existing categories of travel to Cuba authorized by law-
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General licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers
in the following existing categories: (1) family visits; (2) official
business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain
intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4)
professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational
activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics,
workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support
for the Cuban people; (9) humanitarian projects; (10) activities of
private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11)
exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information
materials; and (12) certain export transactions that may be considered
for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines.
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Travelers in the 12 categories of travel to Cuba authorized by law
will be able to make arrangements through any service provider that
complies with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) regulations governing travel services to Cuba, and general
licenses will authorize provision of such services.
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The policy changes make it easier for Americans to provide business
training for private Cuban businesses and small farmers and provide
other support for the growth of Cuba’s nascent private sector.
Additional options for promoting the growth of entrepreneurship and the
private sector in Cuba will be explored.
Facilitating remittances to Cuba by U.S. persons-
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Remittance levels will be raised from $500 to $2,000 per quarter for
general donative remittances to Cuban nationals (except to certain
officials of the government or the Communist party); and donative
remittances for humanitarian projects, support for the Cuban people, and
support for the development of private businesses in Cuba will no
longer require a specific license.
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Remittance forwarders will no longer require a specific license.
Authorizing expanded commercial sales/exports from the United States of certain goods and services-
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The expansion will seek to empower the nascent Cuban private sector.
Items that will be authorized for export include certain building
materials for private residential construction, goods for use by private
sector Cuban entrepreneurs, and agricultural equipment for small
farmers. This change will make it easier for Cuban citizens to have
access to certain lower-priced goods to improve their living standards
and gain greater economic independence from the state.
Authorizing American citizens to import additional goods from Cuba-
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Licensed U.S. travelers to Cuba will be authorized to import $400
worth of goods from Cuba, of which no more than $100 can consist of
tobacco products and alcohol combined.
Facilitating authorized transactions between the United States and Cuba-
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U.S. institutions will be permitted to open correspondent accounts at
Cuban financial institutions to facilitate the processing of authorized
transactions.
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The regulatory definition of the statutory term “cash in advance” will
be revised to specify that it means “cash before transfer of title”;
this will provide more efficient financing of authorized trade with
Cuba.
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U.S. credit and debit cards will be permitted for use by travelers to Cuba.
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These measures will improve the speed, efficiency, and oversight of authorized payments between the United States and Cuba.
Initiating new efforts to increase Cubans’ access to communications and their ability to communicate freely-
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Cuba has an internet penetration of about five percent—one of the
lowest rates in the world. The cost of telecommunications in Cuba is
exorbitantly high, while the services offered are extremely limited.
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The commercial export of certain items that will contribute to the
ability of the Cuban people to communicate with people in the United
States and the rest of the world will be authorized. This will include
the commercial sale of certain consumer communications devices, related
software, applications, hardware, and services, and items for the
establishment and update of communications-related systems.
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Telecommunications providers will be allowed to establish the
necessary mechanisms, including infrastructure, in Cuba to provide
commercial telecommunications and internet services, which will improve
telecommunications between the United States and Cuba.
Updating the application of Cuba sanctions in third countries-
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U.S.-owned or -controlled entities in third countries will be
generally licensed to provide services to, and engage in financial
transactions with, Cuban individuals in third countries. In addition,
general licenses will unblock the accounts at U.S. banks of Cuban
nationals who have relocated outside of Cuba; permit U.S. persons to
participate in third-country professional meetings and conferences
related to Cuba; and, allow foreign vessels to enter the United States
after engaging in certain humanitarian trade with Cuba, among other
measures.
Pursuing discussions with the Cuban and Mexican governments to discuss our unresolved maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mexico-
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Previous agreements between the United States and Cuba delimit the
maritime space between the two countries within 200 nautical miles from
shore. The United States, Cuba, and Mexico have extended continental
shelf in an area within the Gulf of Mexico where the three countries
have not yet delimited any boundaries.
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The United States is prepared to invite the governments of Cuba and
Mexico to discuss shared maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Initiating a review of Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism-
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The President has instructed the Secretary of State to immediately
launch such a review, and provide a report to the President within six
months regarding Cuba’s support for international terrorism. Cuba was
placed on the list in 1982.
Addressing Cuba’s participation in the 2015 Summit of the Americas in Panama-
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President Obama will participate in the Summit of the Americas in
Panama. Human rights and democracy will be key Summit themes. Cuban
civil society must be allowed to participate along with civil society
from other countries participating in the Summit, consistent with the
region’s commitments under the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The
United States welcomes a constructive dialogue among Summit governments
on the Summit’s principles.
Unwavering Commitment to Democracy, Human Rights, and Civil Society
A critical focus of our increased engagement will include continued
strong support by the United States for improved human rights conditions
and democratic reforms in Cuba. The promotion of democracy supports
universal human rights by empowering civil society and a person’s right
to speak freely, peacefully assemble, and associate, and by supporting
the ability of people to freely determine their future. Our efforts
are aimed at promoting the independence of the Cuban people so they do
not need to rely on the Cuban state.
The U.S. Congress funds democracy programming in Cuba to provide
humanitarian assistance, promote human rights and fundamental freedoms,
and support the free flow of information in places where it is
restricted and censored. The Administration will continue to implement
U.S. programs aimed at promoting positive change in Cuba, and we will
encourage reforms in our high level engagement with Cuban officials.
The United States encourages all nations and organizations engaged in
diplomatic dialogue with the Cuban government to take every opportunity
both publicly and privately to support increased respect for human
rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.
Ultimately, it will be the Cuban people who drive economic and
political reforms. That is why President Obama took steps to increase
the flow of resources and information to ordinary Cuban citizens in
2009, 2011, and today. The Cuban people deserve the support of the
United States and of an entire region that has committed to promote and
defend democracy through the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
A volunteer gave me two free passes to the Denver Art Museum (which is also always free on the first Saturday of the month--that's this week!) to pass along to a tutor who would like to take his or her student on a field trip. If you would like one or both of these passes, please let me know. First come, first served!
