On the Good Side
Announcement 1: A New Policy on Remittances, Immigration and Travel
On May 16 the State Department revealed partial re-engagement with Cuba; unlimited family and donative remittances, flights to regional cities, restoration of the US consulate, reinstating the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, family reunion visas, support for independent entrepreneurs and general travel licenses for people to people groups, professional research and conferences.
- Official statements and interpretations are here
- News stories are here
- Views of FFRD and other advocacy groups are here
Announcement 2: Implementation of Regional Flights
On June 1 the Department of Transportation canceled Trump restrictions on regional flights at the request of the Secretary of State. Destinations under Obama were reinstated.
["The nine international airports, other than Havana’s José Marti International Airport (HAV), are: the Ignacio Agramonte International Airport in Camagüey (CMW); the Jardines del Rey Airport in Cayo Coco (CCC); the Vilo Acuña Airport in Cayo Largo (CYO); the Jaime González Airport in Cienfuegos (CFG); the Frank País Airport in Holguín (HOG); the Sierra Maestra Airport in Manzanillo (MZO); the Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport in Matanzas (VRA); the Abel Santamaría Airport in Santa Clara (SNU); and the Antonio Maceo Airport in Santiago de Cuba (SCU)."]
Then and now the airports utilized depend on the commercial judgement of the airlines. However, rather than simply returning to the slots operating when Trump terminated regional flights, DOT will manage a new bidding process for routes. That could take a while to finalize.
The DOT order and the Blinken letter can be downloaded as the attachment shown
here With some format problems, the DOT order is
here.
Announcement 3: Implementation of Travel (New OFAC regs)
On June 3 the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued regulations to implement the May 15 reopening plans. General licenses were authorized for people to people groups and professional research and conferences but Trump's political prohibitions of hotel use and independent travel were explicitly maintained. OFAC's explanation of the new regs and FRD's press release about them can be read
here.
Real life consequences
Remittances are still unconscionably complicated because the punitive Trump restriction on use of a Cuban bank linked to GAESA remains in place. For a year the State Department has claimed to be on the verge of alternative channels but the White House has not approved anything. One channel that appears to work is Revolusend through Canada, details
here
Most Cubans seeking visas for immigration or family reunion trips to the U.S. will still have to make the expensive and time consuming trip to apply for a visa at the US embassy in Guyana.
Group people to people travel and professional conferences remain impractical for all but smaller more adventurous program organizers. Prolonging Trump's harsh attacks on all hotel use requires scattering tour participants to multiple casas particulares (bed and breakfasts), a coordination nightmare and off-putting for less hardy travelers,
Independent travelers can continue to use Support for the Cuban People but must not employ the less restrictive people to people license that Trump ripped away from individuals. Nor are they able to legally book a hotel room.
On the Bad Side
Semi-summit of the Americas
The Biden Administration undermined the spirit and accomplishment of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles by trying to score ideological points and politicize "democracy" through its power of invitation. Ignoring the recommendation of the summit in Colombia ten years ago and the practice of inclusion in the summits of Panama and Peru, the US created an unnecessary conflict from which it gained nothing by excluding Cuba.
The most positive note was struck by Vice President Harris during her opening remarks:
"At this convening, let us build a more prosperous and inclusive future for the entire Western Hemisphere."
Articles about the Summit and FFRD's messages to the White House and State Department are
here.
Mixed Motives
Parameters to date are so constrained that suspicions have arisen about the real goals of the Administration.
Optimists believe they are finally but gradually following campaign promises and restoring Obama's engagement policy.
Realists argue the very large contribution by Cuban migrants to the crisis on our southern border motivated diplomatic initiatives to renew agreements for legal migration and to generate economic reasons for staying home.
Skeptics argue it is smoke and mirrors aimed at mollifying pro-engagement sentiment at home and abroad. In particular, the Administration needed to show a better face to a region disturbed by Cuba's exclusion from the Summit. Evidence of that was in a Reuters story, "A Treasury Department official said publication of the new regulations was purposefully aligned with the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles."
One of the primary organizers of group travel to Cuba has written, "The number of Cubans coming to US illegally is the driver for this. However, within the administration there wasn’t space to move forward on the hotel stuff at this time. People should let them know about the shortcomings and push for more, arguing the impact of this is very limited."
My personal concern is that President Biden is trapped in his generation's Cold War good guys vs bad guys mentality and lacks empathy for self determined change beyond US political ideology. Biden was elected to the Senate for his opposition to US intervention in Vietnam, but supported the US invasion of Iraq. As a former Senator he defers to Bob Menendez, an obstacle to rational policies on both Iran and Cuba. As a politician Biden yields to unrealistic entreaties from Florida Democrats who live in a bubble dominated by extremist exiles.
Just as Cuba needs to take seriously how Vietnam transformed its economy, the US has to remember that it succeeded in normalization with Vietnam by putting aside regime change objectives.
-- John McAuliff
