CUBA-UNITED STATES: Flexibilisation With as Tough a Face as Ever

By Dalia Acosta Reprint | | Print |

Dalia Acosta

HAVANA, May 14 1998 (IPS) - The flexibilisation of the blockade on Cuba announced by the United States in April finally came into operation, but without changes to the hard line attitude.

An announcement by President Bill Clinton, Wednesday, authorised direct flights between the two countries, along with the sending of humanitarian aid, family remittences and the sale of medicines under license to Cuba.

But any hopes of a gentler attitude were soon dashed when it was made clear there would be tougher controls on the direct flights, the sending of remittances, medicine sales, illegal flights and the money spent by US citizens during their stays on the island.

“Our position is a clear as water. It has not changed,” said State Department Cuban affairs representative, Michael Rannenberger.

He said the package of measures facilitates “legitimate contacts” with the island, but emphasised that the United States will only normalise relations with Cuba following “democratic change” on the island.

The embargo is merely an “element of pressure” and not the greatest source of problems for the Cuban population, said Rannenberger, attributing the economic reforms started in Cuba in 1994 to this policy.

Washington says the main cause of the difficulties faced by the island is that Fidel Castro has ruled the island for 39 years without the sort of democratic system common to other States of the region.

Rannenberger announced the new measures Wednesday in a teleconference with foreign correspondents in Havana, received in the US Interests Section.

While direct passenger flights will only be renewed in mid- June, cargo flights carrying humanitarian aid to the island could start immediately they have Treasury Department clearance.

The US authorities committed themselves to reducing the stipulated time for processing a drug or medical equipment export license to the island by half, in line with the 1990 Law for Democracy in Cuba.

However, while Cuba’s public health system covers all the health institutions in the country, the US medicine donations can only be awarded to entities not linked to the Fidel Castro government.

The United States will check the medicines donated are not used in acts of torture or violation of human rights, in biotechnological production or for re-exportation.

Meanwhile, each emigre is allowed to send one package of medicines worth no more than 200 dollars to Cuba each month, but those visiting the island will only be allowed to carry medicines for their personal use.

Also, Cubans resident in the United States can send up to 300 dollars every three months to close relatives on the island, and when visiting on humanitarian grounds, will only be allowed to take this amount of money with them.

All other US citizens will need a special license to travel to Cuba and the US customs authorities will be reinforcing their inspection methods to prevent “illicit journeys” via a third country or by sea.

US travellers visiting the island under the Cuban government “all costs paid” formula, will have to present convincing documents that they have not spent any money at all during their stay.

If they break this rule, they will face the possibility of up to 10 years imprisonment, a criminal fine of 250,000 dollars and a civil one of 50,000, according to Miami daily “El Nuevo Herald.”

Rannenberger said 1.5 million dollars’ worth of fines have been imposed on US citizens so far this year for violating monetary restrictions on their visits to Cuba.

Observers say the implementation of the measures announced by Clinton in April are being carried out in this backhanded fashion in order to please two totally opposed groups in the United States, those who want the blockade lifted and those who demand it be toughened up.

Debate over the future of the blockade as a policy was given fresh fuel after Pope John Paul II called for liberalisation during his visit to Cuba in January.