The travel to Cuba restrictions and ban on doing business with certain enterprises on the island announced in June by President Donald Trump will go into effect this Thursday, the U.S. government announced today.
The Department of the Treasury today published the new regulations for travel to and commerce with Cuba, which will be immediately implemented as part of Trump’s decision to freeze the normalization of bilateral relations undertaken by his predecessor in the White House, Barack Obama.
“We have strengthened our Cuba policies to channel economic activity away from the Cuban military and to encourage the government to move toward greater political and economic freedom for the Cuban people,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin.
As Trump had already advanced in his June 16 speech in Miami in which he announced the changes in the policy toward the island, starting now Americans will be banned from making transactions with Cuban entities controlled by military, intelligence and security services.
On the other hand, individual trips by U.S. citizens to the island for people-to-people contacts that do not have an academic character will no longer be permitted, according to the Department of the Treasury.
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However, some of those trips, previously permitted, can be carried out if the person bought the plane ticket or booked accommodations before last June 16.
As to the so-called “people-to-people trips,” the U.S. government will demand starting now that they meet the requirement of a full-time schedule and they imply a genuine interaction with individuals in Cuba.
The new regulations will be published this Thursday in the U.S. Federal Register and will take effect immediately.
Settling debts
Trump promised during his electoral campaign that he would tighten the policy toward Cuba and, although he hasn’t broken diplomatic relations, reestablished under the mandate of Obama, he has made it clear that he backs the economic embargo imposed more than half a century ago on the island.
Relations have become even tenser after the alleged acoustic attacks that, according to the U.S., have caused physical symptoms to 24 U.S. diplomats posted in Havana, while Cuba accuses the United States of lying with respect to this.
Because of the alleged attacks, the Department of State has withdrawn more than half of its personnel in Havana, expelled two-thirds of the officials of the Cuban embassy in Washington and advised Americans to not travel to Cuba.
The list
These are the entities and sub-entities with which starting Thursday the U.S. government forbids any direct financial transaction:
Ministries:
MINFAR — Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces
MININT — Ministry of the Interior
Joint ventures:
CIMEX —CIMEX S.A. Corporation
Habaguanex S.A. Tourist Company
GAESA — Business Administration Group S.A.
Gaviota —Gaviota Tourism Group
UIM —Military Industry Conglomerate
Hotels in Havana:
Aparthotel Montehabana (Habaguanex)
Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski (Gaviota)
H10 Habana Panorama (Gaviota)
Hostal Valencia (Habaguanex)
Hotel Ambos Mundos (Habaguanex)
Hotel Armadores de Santander (Habaguanex)
Hotel Beltrán de Santa Cruz (Habaguanex)
Hotel Conde de Villanueva (Habaguanex)
Hotel del Tejadillo (Habaguanex)
Hotel el Bosque (Habaguanex)
Hotel el Comendador (Habaguanex)
Hotel el Mesón de la Flota (Habaguanex)
Hotel Florida (Habaguanex)
Hotel Habana 612 (Habaguanex)
Hotel Kohly (Habaguanex)
Hotel Los Frailes (Habaguanex)
Hotel Marqués de Prado Ameno (Habaguanex)
Hotel Palacio del Marqués de San Felipe and
Hotel Palacio O’Farrill (Habaguanex)
Hotel Park View (Habaguanex)
Hotel Raquel (Habaguanex)
Hotel San Miguel (Habaguanex)
Hotel Telégrafo (Habaguanex)
Hotel Terral (Habaguanex)
Memories Miramar Havana (Gaviota)
Memories Miramar Montehabana (Gaviota)
Santiago de Bejucal (Habaguanex)
Hotels in Santiago de Cuba:
Villa Gaviota Santiago (Gaviota)
Hotels in Varadero:
Blau Marina Varadero Resort (Gaviota)
Grand Memories Varadero (Gaviota)
Iberostar Laguna Azul (Gaviota)
Iberostar Playa Alameda (Gaviota)
Meliá Marina Varadero (Gaviota)
Meliá Peninsula Varadero (Gaviota)
Memories Varadero (Gaviota)
Naviti Varadero (Gaviota)
Ocean Varadero El Patriarca (Gaviota)
Ocean Vista Azul (Gaviota)
Paradisus Princesa del Mar (Gaviota)
Paradisus Varadero (Gaviota)
Sol Sirenas Coral (Gaviota)
Hotels in Pinar del Río:
Hotel Villa Cabo de San Antonio (Gaviota)
Hotel Villa Maria La Gorda y Centro Internacional de Buceo (Gaviota)
Hotels in Baracoa:
Hostal 1511 (Gaviota)
Hostal La Habanera (Gaviota)
Hostal La Rusa (Gaviota)
Hostal Rio Miel (Gaviota)
Hotel El Castillo (Gaviota)
Hotel Porto Santo (Gaviota)
Villa Maguana (Gaviota)
Hotels on Villa Clara keys:
Dhawa Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Hotel Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Hotel Playa Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Iberostar Ensenachos (Gaviota)
Meliá Buenavista (Gaviota)
Meliá Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Meliá Las Dunas (Gaviota)
Memories Azul (Gaviota)
Memories Flamenco (Gaviota)
Memories Paraíso (Gaviota)
Ocean Casa del Mar (Gaviota)
Royalton Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Sol Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Villa Las Brujas (Gaviota)
Warwick Cayo Santa María (Gaviota)
Hotels in Holguín:
Blau Costa Verde Beach & Resort (Gaviota)
Hotel Playa Costa Verde (Gaviota)
Hotel Playa Pesquero (Gaviota)
Memories Holguín (Gaviota)
Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa (Gaviota)
Playa Costa Verde (Gaviota)
Playa Pesquero Premium Service (Gaviota)
Sol Rio de Luna y Mares (Gaviota)
Villa Cayo Naranjo (Gaviota)
Villa Cayo Saetia (Gaviota)
Villa Pinares de Mayari (Gaviota)
Hotels on Jardines del Rey:
Hotel Playa Coco Plus (Gaviota)
Iberostar Playa Pilar (Gaviota)
Meliá Jardines del Rey (Gaviota)
Memories Caribe (Gaviota)
Pestana Cayo Coco (Gaviota)
Hotels in Topes de Collantes:
Hostal Los Helechos (Gaviota)
Los Helechos (Gaviota)
Villa Caburni (Gaviota)
Tourist agencies:
Crucero del Sol
Gaviota Tours
Marinas:
Marina Gaviota Cabo de San Antonio (Pinar del Rio)
Marina Gaviota Cayo Coco (Jardines del Rey)
Marina Gaviota Las Brujas (Villa Clara keys)
Marina Gaviota Puerto Vita (Holguín)
Marina Gaviota Varadero (Varadero)
Shops in Old Havana:
Casa del Abanico (Habaguanex)
Colección Habana (Habaguanex)
Florería Jardín Wagner (Habaguanex flower shop)
Joyería Coral Negro (CIMEX jewelry shop) – Additional locations throughout Cuba
La Casa del Regalo (Habaguanex)
San Ignacio 415 (Habaguanex)
Soldadito de Plomo (Habaguanex)
Tienda El Navegante (Habaguanex)
Tienda Muñecos de Leyenda (Habaguanex)
Tienda Museo El Reloj Cuervo y Sobrinos (Habaguanex)
Defense and security sectors entities:
ACERPROT — Security and Protection Certification and Consultancy Agency
AGROMIN — Ministry of the Interior Agricultural and Livestock Business Group
APCI — Agency for Protection against Fires
CAHOMA —Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara Military-Industrial Company
CASEG —Transporte Occidente Military-Industrial Company
CID NAV — Center for Naval Research and Development
CIDAI — Center for Research and Development of Infantry Weapons
CIDAO — Center for Research and Development of Artillery Weapons and Optic and Electronic Optic Instruments
CORCEL —Emilio Bárcenas Pier Military-Industrial Company
CUBAGRO — Marketing and Export Company for Agricultural and Livestock and Agribusiness Products
DATYS — Company for the Development of Applications, Technologies and Systems
DCM TRANS — Center for Research and Development of Transport
DEGOR —Desembarco del Granma Military-Industrial Company
DSE — Department of State Security
EMIAT —Import-Export Company for Technical Supplies
Astilleros Astimar Military-Industrial Company
Astilleros Centro Military-Industrial Company
Yuri Gagarin Military-Industrial Company
ETASE —Transportation and Insurance Company
TRASVAL Hardware Store
GELCOM —Grito de Baire Center for Research and Development
Impresos de Seguridad
MECATRONICS — Center for Research and Development of Electronics and Mechanics
NAZCA —Granma Military-Industrial Company
OIBS — Organization of Integration for Social Welfare
PLAMEC —Ignacio Agramonte Military-Industrial Company
PNR —National Revolutionary Police
PROVARI — Various Productions Company
SEPSA — Specialized Protection Services
SIMPRO — Center for Research and Development of Simulators
TECAL —Alternative Technologies Company
TECNOPRO —G.B. Francisco Cruz Bourzac Military-Industrial Company
TECNOTEX — Cuban Export and Import Company of Services, Specialized Technical Articles and Products
TGF — Border Guard Troops
UAM —Military Agricultural and Livestock Conglomerate
ULAEX — Latin American Conglomerate of Explosives
XETID — Defense Information Technologies Company
YABO —Coronel Francisco Aguiar Rodríguez Military-Industrial Company
Additional CIMEX sub-entities:
ADESA /ASAT — Customs Services Agency
Cachito
Contex
Datacimex
ECUSE — Cuban Services Company
CIMEX Real Estate
CIMEX Investments
Jupina
La Maison
Najita
Publicitaria Imagen
Ron Caney
Ron Varadero
Telecable
Tropicola
Specialized Logistics and Commerce Zone (ZELCOM)
Additional GAESA sub-entities:
Almacenes Universales (AUSA shops)
ANTEX —Antillana Export Corporation
Mariel Integrated Projects Department (DIP)
Empresa Inmobiliaria Almest (Real Estate)
GRAFOS
RAFIN S.A.
Sociedad Mercantil Inmobiliaria Caribe (Real Estate)
TECNOIMPORT
Havana Container Terminal (TCH)
Mariel Container Terminal S.A.
UCM — Military Construction Conglomerate
Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM)
Development and Logistic Activities Special Zone (ZEDAL)
Additional Gaviota sub-entities:
AT Comercial
Manzana de Gómez
PhotoService
Producciones TRIMAGEN S.A. (Trimagen shops)
Additional Habaguanex sub-entities:
Sociedad Mercantil Cubana Inmobiliaria Fenix S.A. (Real Estate)
The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs specifies that the entities or sub-entities owned or controlled by another entity or sub-entity of those included on this list are not treated as restricted, unless they are also specified by name on the list.
EFE / OnCuba
