by Steve Holland

Washington (Reuters) – President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Monday establishing a stricter policy in the United States with regard to Cuba, returning to several measures adopted by former president Joe Biden, the White House announced.

The text reaffirms the legal prohibition of American tourism in Cuba and supports the maintenance of the economic embargo against the country, according to an information sheet disseminated by the executive.

If tourist trips remain prohibited, travel for educational or humanitarian purposes remain authorized.

Shortly after his arrival at the White House in January, Donald Trump, the usual critic of the Cuban regime, had canceled Joe Biden’s last minute decision to withdraw Cuba from the American list of states supporting terrorism. He also partially restricted the entry of Cuban nationals on American territory.

The memorandum signed Monday is renewed the ban on direct or indirect financial transactions with entities controlled by the Cuban army, in particular the Conglomerate Grupo de Administration Empresarial SA (Gaesa) and its subsidiaries, with the exception of operations deemed compatible with the objectives of American policy or directly benefiting from the Cuban people.

Joe Biden had canceled in 2021 a 2017 decree signed by Donald Trump, which limited transactions with certain entities related to the Cuban government or army.

The new text “strengthens the legal prohibition of American tourism in Cuba and imposes regular audits as well as an obligation to conserve travel documents for at least five years”, specifies the White House.

It also reaffirms the support of the United States to economic embargo and their opposition to calls for its lifting in international pregnant, especially to the United Nations.

(Steve Holland; Nicolas Delame)

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