The White House announced the policy's official rollout some five months after officials signaled the changes would be coming. In an emailed statement, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa), who has for years advocated a stronger relationship with Cuba, called the move "backwards" and a "return to failed Cold War isolationist policies toward Cuba and the Cuban people."
She said that since the 2015 effort to reverse decades-old policies rolled out, Cuba's private sector began to flourish due to an increase in U.S. travel to the nation.
“Since the U.S. reestablished diplomatic ties with Cuba, thousands of Americans have visited and numerous businesses have explored new markets," she said. "These activities have not only opened new economic opportunities for Americans and Cubans alike, they serve as an integral part of our efforts to promote the spread of democracy and ensure the security of our region. I am disappointed that today’s regulations do nothing to promote human rights and economic growth in Cuba and will only further harm the growing private sector on the island."
The Trump policy restricts U.S. citizens' ability to travel to Cuba.
Castor added that she isn't happy with the federal government's lack of action in investigating mysterious injuries sustained by U.S. diplomats residing in Cuba, and made mention of the lack of adequate staffing levels at Cuba's embassy and how, in slowing the process by which a Cuban-born U.S. citizen can apply for and receive a visa to travel there to visit family, the Trump administration is effectively halting travel to the country for Cuban-Americans.
“I also am disappointed in the lack of progress and resources devoted to the investigation of the unexplained episodes involving health problems suffered by our diplomatic personnel in Havana. I was advised by Trump administration officials in October that U.S. investigators had left with no determination as to the nature or cause of these incidents," Castor said. "Furthermore, every day that goes by without adequate embassy personnel available to process visas harms Cuban and American families. The U.S. has now effectively ended travel by Cubans to visit their loved ones in the U.S. under the nonimmigrant visa. This is cruel and heartbreaking for many families who I see in my Tampa office regularly.”
This article appears in Nov 2-9, 2017.