Statement on Latest Round of Obama's Cuba Regulatory Changes Capitol Hill Cubans January 26, 2016
Today, the Obama Administration has released its third round of regulatory changes since December 17th, 2014, which now allows exports purportedly destined "for the Cuban people" to be monopolized by the Castro regime's state enterprises.
This latest round of regulatory changes expressly contradicts the stated purpose of Obama's policy, which was purportedly to "empower the Cuban people" and "promote economic independence." Instead, today's regulations succumb to the Castro regime's insistence that all foreign trade transactions must be funneled through its monopolies. Rather than ratcheting up pressure on the Castro regime to open Cuba's "cuentapropista" ("self-employment") sector, the Obama Administration is now blatantly "empowering" the Castro regime's economic grip. There are five decades of evidence to prove that Castro's monopolies have never brought greater wealth or freedom to the Cuban people. To the contrary, it has strengthened and enriched Castro's cronies and repressive apparatus.
These regulations not only contradict Obama's own words, but they are against U.S. law. The only exports legally exempted for sale to Cuba are telecommunication services, via the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act, and agriculture, medicine and medical devices, via the 2000 Trade Sanctions Reform Act. Any exports to Cuba outside of these two statutory exemptions are illegal. Today's regulations are also viscerally against the stated policy and intent of U.S. policy towards Cuba, as codified in law. As such, any transactions pursuant to these new regulations would be subject to legal challenge. Moreover, the U.S. Congress should continue to hold accountable Commerce, State and Treasury officials, who are clearly prioritizing the political whims of The White House over the law of the United States.
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Menendez: New Cuba Regs Contravene U.S. Law, Will of Congress Capitol Hill Cubans January 27, 2016
Menendez on Announcement to Enhance Commerce with Cuban Regime
US Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) today issued the following statement regarding the latest announcement by the Obama administration to lift restrictions that allow the financing of American exports to Cuba.
“Today’s action by the Administration is a contravention of the law – the will of Congress, and the people who elected us, and a betrayal to those brave Cubans who have raised their voices in support of freedom, only to be silenced by a regime we are now helping. Put simply, exporting to Cuba means exporting to the regime and its state-owned enterprises solely controlled by the Castro family; it will do nothing to empower the Cuban people.
Furthermore, U.S. law says that any Administration has the discretion to tighten sanctions, but none have the power to relax them, as press are widely reporting this Administration is doing for a third time since it announced a new U.S. approach to the Cuban regime last year.
It is a lack of opportunity – not a change of heart – that had slowed the Castro’s regional adventurism and instability-inducing support for those who would pose threats to our national interest. It is a lack of resources that was causing the regime to loosen its grip. And, it will be these and any future U.S. supported lifelines the regime will use to reverse that course, solidify the dictatorship, and undermine the very values we have tried to support. When taken in total, the sanctions relief we have seen over the last year sends more than just a message to the people we once supported. It provides their oppressors the resources they need to tighten their grip.”
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Rubio: New Regs Prove Obama's Intent to 'Empower' Castro, Not Cuban People Capitol Hill Cubans January 27, 2016
Rubio Condemns Latest Obama Concessions To Castro Regime
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement regarding today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Treasury and U.S. Department of Commerce modifying additional regulations regarding Cuba:
“The Obama Administration's one-sided concessions to Cuba further empower the regime and enable it with an economic windfall. These regulations are more proof that the Obama Administration's intent has never been to empower the Cuban people but rather to empower the Cuban government's monopolies and state-run enterprises.
Our U.S. policy toward Cuba should be driven by our national security interests, securing greater political freedoms and defending the human rights of the Cuban people, none of which are advanced through Obama's latest concessions.”
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CDV.org editor's note: Go here for information on the new regulations.
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