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Saturday, September 27, 2008

U.S. curbs post-storm aid to Cuba

Posted on Sat, Sep. 27, 2008

U.S. curbs post-storm aid to Cuba

The Cuban American National Foundation, which sent $250,000 in aid to
people in Cuba after hurricanes hit the island, said Friday the federal
government has imposed strict restrictions on further aid.

A license granted Sept. 10 allowed up to $250,000 to individuals or
hard-hit areas without restriction to family connections. The group
reached the license's maximum within two days and reapplied for another
license. But the license granted most recently does not allow Cuban
Americans to send aid to specific persons such as relatives.

The new license stipulates that ''the person giving a donation cannot
determine who it goes to specifically on the island because that would
be a remittance and the license is not for remittances, it's for
humanitarian assistance,'' said Sandy Acosta Cox, a foundation
spokeswoman. ``It's very difficult to understand why, in a moment of
crisis, you can't help your cousin or your aunt.''

''We're in the process of appealing it and seeing if we can get the
restrictions removed,'' Acosta Cox said.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/703765.html

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