Cuba Government Statement Using Word “Banned” Is Grossly Misleading- As More Than US$400 Million In Agricultural Commodity/Food Product Exports In 2024, US$50 Million In Vehicle Exports In 2024, Authorized Investment/Financing Into Privately-Owned Companies Since 2022, And Bank Account Permissions Attests
The Diaz-Canel-Valdes Mesa Administration (2018- ) unnecessarily embraces awkward and thus misleading sentence structure when describing the existence of commercial, economic, and financial connectivity with the private sector in the United States.
“On the other hand, U.S. citizens, companies and subsidiaries of U.S. corporations are banned from trading with Cuba or Cuban entities, with very restricted and regulated exceptions.”
LINK TO COMPLETE LIST OF PRODUCTS IN 2023 EXPORTED FROM THE UNITED STATES TO CUBA
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Havana, Republic of Cuba
15 January 2025
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba
On January 14, 2025, the U.S. government announced the decision to: 1) remove Cuba from the State Department's list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism; 2) make use of the presidential prerogative to prevent legal action in U.S. courts regarding lawsuits filed under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act; and 3) eliminate the list of Cuban entities banned from engaging in financial transactions with U.S. citizens and institutions, which has had fallout on third countries.
Despite its limited nature, this is a right decision in line with the sustained and firm demand of the government and people of Cuba, and with the broad, emphatic and reiterated call of many governments, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cubans living abroad, political, religious and social organizations, and countless political figures in the United States and other countries. The government of Cuba thanks everyone for their contribution and sensitivity.
This decision puts an end to specific coercive measures that, along with many others, cause serious damage to the Cuban economy, with severe effects on the population. This is and has been an issue in Cuba's official meetings with the U.S. government.
It is important to point out that the economic blockade and many of the dozens of coercive measures imposed since 2017 to reinforce it are still in effect and remain fully extraterritorial in nature, in violation of International Law and the human rights of all Cubans.
To cite just a few examples, the illegal and aggressive persecution continues against fuel supplies that Cuba has a legitimate right to import. The cruel and absurd persecution of Cuba's legitimate international medical cooperation agreements with other countries continues, threatening to deprive millions of people of health services and limiting the potential of Cuba's public health system. Cuba's international financial transactions or those of anyone related to Cuba are still prohibited and subject to reprisals, and merchant ships docking in Cuba also remain under threat.
On the other hand, U.S. citizens, companies and subsidiaries of U.S. corporations are banned from trading with Cuba or Cuban entities, with very restricted and regulated exceptions.
Harassment, intimidation and threats against nationals from any country who intend to trade with or invest in Cuba continue to be official U.S. policy. Cuba is still a destination that the U.S. government prohibits its citizens from visiting.
The economic war remains and persists in posing the main obstacle to the development and recovery of the Cuban economy at a high human cost to the population, and continues to be a stimulus to emigrate.
The decision announced today by the United States corrects, in a very restricted way, aspects of a cruel and unjust policy. It occurs now, on the verge of a change of government, when it should have been made years ago as an elementary act of justice, without demanding anything in return or fabricating excuses to justify inaction, if doing the right thing were the intention. In order to exclude Cuba from the arbitrary list of State sponsors of terrorism, it should have been enough to acknowledge the truth, the total lack of reasons for such designation and the exemplary performance of our country in the fight against terrorism, which even U.S. government agencies have admitted.
It is known that the U.S. government could reverse in the future the measures adopted today, as it has done in the past through decisions revealing of the poor legitimacy, ethics, consistency and rightfulness in terms of its Cuba policy.
To do so, U.S. politicians do not usually refrain from arguing honest justifications as long as the vision described in 1960 by the then Assistant Secretary of State Lester Mallory and the goal that he described of subduing the Cubans by means of economic siege, misery, hunger and desperation remains in force. They would not justify anything as long as their government continues to be incapable of recognizing and accepting Cuba's right to self-determination and as long as it continues to be willing to assume the political cost of international isolation caused by its genocidal and illegal policy of economic asphyxiation against Cuba.
Cuba will keep fighting and denouncing this policy of economic warfare, the interference programs and the disinformation and smear campaigns financed every year with tens of millions of dollars from the U.S. federal budget. It will also remain willing to develop a relationship of respect with that country, based on dialogue and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, despite differences.
LINK TO COMPLETE ANALYSIS IN PDF FORMAT
