U.S. lifts some Trump-era restrictions on Cuba, including limits on travel and remittances
NBCSep 09, 2022
The Facts
On Mon., the Biden admin. announced new policies to ease travel restrictions to Cuba and restart a family reunification program in an effort to support relations with the country.
The new policies will authorize more flights to Cuba, remove the $1k-per-quarter limit on family remittance, and allow non-family remittance to support independent Cuban entrepreneurs, among others.
The Spin
Left narrative
This is a step in the right direction that takes a sensible policy approach to Cuban relations. By focusing on engaging directly with the Cuban people and restoring some of the Obama-era initiatives on travel, the Biden admin. is acknowledging the value of positive engagement instead of punitive estrangement.
Right narrative
The US already faces a migration crisis with massive influx from Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Mexico, and now the Biden admin. plans to add Cubans to the mix - all in the name of freedom. Ironically, the new policies will actually run counter to this goal; money from "tourism" will only line the pockets of government officials, fortifying the government against those oppressed by the regime.
