But critics say President Obama has not done enough because trade embargo, limits on travel continue
WASHINGTON – In a measured break with a half-century of U.S. policy toward communist Cuba, the Obama administration lifted restrictions Monday on Cuban-Americans who want to travel and send money to their island homeland.
In a further gesture of openness, U.S. telecommunications firms were freed to seek business there, too. But the broader U.S. trade embargo remained in place.
The White House portrayed its changes, which fulfilled one of President Obama’s campaign promises, as a path to promoting personal freedom in one of the few remaining communist nations. They also marked another major step away from the foreign policy priorities of the Bush administration.
But the moves fell far short of the more drastic policy adjustments that some – including Republican Sen. Richard Lugar – have argued are required to promote U.S. interests in Latin America and to bring about change in Cuba. For most Americans, Cuba remains the only country in the world their government prohibits them from visiting – a barrier to potential travelers as well as to the Cuban tourist industry that would like to see them.
Cubans welcomed the changes but said more should be done.
Few Cubans expect Obama to end the trade embargo or allow American tourists to visit the island without limits.
“He should do more and lift travel restrictions for all Americans,” said Alberto Sal, a 68-year-old retiree. “Until he does that, I don’t think he’s doing much.”
Lifting or substantially easing the economic embargo, as set forth in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and administered by the Treasury Department, would require legislative action by Congress.
Julia Sweig, director of Latin studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, described Obama’s changes as “teensy, weensy” and said they appear to be driven more by domestic political calculations than by foreign policy considerations.