Obama Ponders Announcing Relaxations Of Embargo Before Traveling To Cuba

Obama Ponders Announcing Relaxations Of Embargo Before Traveling To Cuba
/ 14ymedio
Posted on March 9, 2016

14ymedio (with information from agencies), Havana, 8 March 2016 – The
president of the United States, Barack Obama, is pondering announcing
new changes in regulations regarding travel, trade and banking before or
during his visit to Cuba, scheduled for 21-22 March, according to a
revelation from Reuters on Tuesday. The news agency cited as sources
congressional aides and people outside of government, some of whom
indicate 17 March as a possible date for the announcement.

Following the implementation of a package of relaxation measures in
January and September of 2015 and in January of 2016, Reuters claims
that Obama's advisors are considering changes to authorize individual
trips to the island, although within the framework of the current 12
permitted categories of purposes, which exclude tourism.

A source close to the discussions informed the agency that the White
House is examining the possibility of using the dollar in trade with
Cuba. The deputy National Security advisor and advisor to Obama, Ben
Rhodes, told the New York Times this Sunday that the island's government
has complained that the embargo forces it to make international
transactions in euros and other convertible currencies.

The US president will travel to Cuba this month in the company of 20
members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans. Among them is
Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, one of the main promoters of easing the
restrictions of the embargo.

Source: Obama Ponders Announcing Relaxations Of Embargo Before Traveling
To Cuba / 14ymedio | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/obama-ponders-announcing-relaxations-of-embargo-before-traveling-to-cuba-14ymedio/