Washington lifts a series of sanctions on Cuba

The Biden administration announced on Monday that it was lifting a series of sanctions on Cuba, including immigration policies, money transfers and air connections, promising that the issue would lead to a lively debate as it is politically recognizable in the United States.

Also read: The United States will reopen its consulate in Cuba, which has been closed since 2017

The statement was the result of a review of American policy toward communist rule initiated by President Joe Biden.

According to a statement from the State Department, the Biden Administration is reviving a program that has been suspended for many years, easing immigration procedures for single family members.

Promised to increase the processing capacity of visa applications in Havana.

The United States also removes the maximum limit of $ 1,000 per quarter and the maximum limit for each sender / recipient who has previously had limited money transfers to Cuba and also authorizes remittances outside the family.

However, the State Department dictates that these financial flows should not “enrich” individuals or organizations that violate human rights.

That hat was decided by former President Donald Trump, who during his tenure took action against Cuba.

Biden Administration will also increase the number of flights between the United States and the island, authorizing services to cities other than Havana.

It also authorizes specific group tours that are currently banned.

Economic sanctions targeting Cuban individuals or organizations are in place, however, the Biden administration said.

A senior U.S. administration official said the measures announced on Monday were practical decisions aimed at “responding to the humanitarian situation in Cuba and” developing economic opportunities for Cubans.

Democratic President Joe Biden is trying to find a delicate balance between “supporting the Cuban people” and promoting their democratic aspirations and their stated desire to remain steadfast against communist rule.

Last summer he condemned the repression of large demonstrations in Cuba and imposed a series of sanctions on Cuban authorities.

The issue of relations with Cuba is politically hot in the United States, home to a large community of immigrants of Cuban origin.

“Today’s statement risks sending the wrong message to the wrong people at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons,” said a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez, and another member of the party, Joe Biden. Democrat.

The traditional opposition, for its part, has long been closely associated with serious criticism of the communist regime.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio has accused the Biden administration of being considered “sympathizers” of communist rule in Cuba.

An official from Florida, where most of the Cuban diaspora lives in the United States, said the government’s decision was “the first step in a return to Obama’s failed policies on Cuba.”

During his tenure, Barack Obama, Vice President of Joe Biden, opted for a historic open policy with the Caribbean island, which allowed for a slight increase in relations between the two countries. Arriving in the White House, Donald Trump tightened sanctions on Havana, returning to the policy of the Democratic president.