Statement of Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On January 14, 2011, the United States Government announced new measures on Cuba. Although we have to wait for the publication of the regulations to understand their true meaning, according to preliminary information released by the Press Office of the White House, the measures consist of:

• Authorizing the travel of U.S. citizens to Cuba for academic, educational, cultural and religious purposes.

• Allowing Americans to send remittances to Cuban citizens in limited quantities.

• Authorize U.S. international airports to request permission to operate direct charter flights to Cuba under certain conditions.

The adoption of these measures is the result of efforts made by large sectors of the American society that for years have overwhelmingly claimed the lifting of the genocidal blockade against Cuba and the elimination of the absurd travel ban to our country.

This is also the expression of the failure of United States policy against Cuba and that it is looking for new ways to achieve its historical goals of domination of our people.

Although the measures are positive, they remain well below those just demands, have a very limited scope and do not change the policy against Cuba.

The White House announcement is limited, essentially, to restoring some of the provisions that were in force in the nineties under the Clinton administration, and were eliminated by George W. Bush since 2003.

The measures benefit only certain categories of Americans and do not restore the right to travel to Cuba of all American citizens, who will remain the only ones in the world who can not visit our country freely.

These measures confirm that there is no will to change the policy of blockade and destabilization against Cuba. When announcing them, United States Government officials made it clear that the blockade will remain intact and that they intend to use the new measures to strengthen the instruments of subversion and interference in Cuba’s internal affairs. This confirms the Foreign Affairs Ministry statement on January 13.

Cuba has always favored exchanges with the American people, its universities, and academic, scientific and religious institutions. All the obstacles to visits by Americans to Cuba have always been, and are still today on the United States government side.

If there is a real interest in expanding and facilitating contacts between our peoples, the United States should lift the blockade and eliminate the prohibition that makes Cuba the only country that Americans cannot travel to.

Havana, January 16, 2011

(Cubaminrex)

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JG: There are positive elements in Obama's executive order. But overall, his administration remains committed to continuing the U.S. policy of aggression toward Cuba which was started by Dwight D. Eisenhower and continued, to disastrous results, by John F. Kennedy. The continuing atmosphere of hate and violence in the United States is manifested by still supporting and enforcing the genocidal blockade/embargo toward the Republic of Cuba. The Caribbean island is not a threat to the United States, and I am sure wishes to live in peace with its northern neighbor.

It is time for the United States to put an end to its arrogance.

It is time for the United States to accept the October 26th resolution of the United Nations General Assembly which condemned the American embargo of Cuba by a vote of 187-2.

It is time for the United States to realize that Cuba is a free and sovereign country, which will never accept dictates and impositions from a foreign power.

Barack H. Obama continues to be a huge disappointment on the Cuba issue. I urge the readers of Cuba Journal to withhold their votes and support in his reelection campaign of 2012.