Page 3 - aruba-today-20170617

A3
U.S. NEWS Saturday 17 June 2017
Trump thrusts US, Cuba back toward hostile relations

Continued from Front Trump’s declaration in a
crowded, sweltering audi-
Embassies in Havana and torium was a direct rebuke
Washington will remain to Obama, for whom the
open. U.S. airlines and diplomatic opening with
cruise ships will still be al- Cuba was a central ac-
lowed to serve the island complishment of his presi-
90 miles south of Florida. dency.
The “wet foot, dry foot” Yet it also exposed the
policy, which once let most shortcomings in Obama’s
Cuban migrants stay if they approach.
made it to U.S. soil but was Unable to persuade Con-
terminated under Obama, gress to lift the decades-old
will remain terminated. Re- trade embargo, Obama
mittances from people in had used his power to ad-
America to Cubans won’t just the rules that imple-
be cut off. ment the embargo to ex-
But individual “people-to- pand built-in loopholes.
people” trips by Ameri- Obama and his aides ar-
cans to Cuba, allowed by gued that commerce and
Obama for the first time travel between the coun-
in decades, will again be tries, which has blossomed
prohibited. And the U.S. since he relaxed the rules,
government will police President Donald Trump shows a signed executive order on Cuba policy, Friday, June 16, 2017, in would make his policy irre-
other trips to ensure travel- Miami. From left are, Rep, Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., Florida Gov. Rock Scott, Cary Roque, and Vice versible.
President Mike Pence.
ers are pursuing a “full-time (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Ben Rhodes, the former
schedule of educational deputy national security
exchange activities.” unreleased list of entities about the political over- eager to invest in Cuba. adviser who negotiated
The changes won’t go associated with Cuba’s tones of his election victory The U.S. Chamber of Com- Obama’s opening with the
into effect until new docu- military and state security, and Friday’s announce- merce, typically supportive Cubans, said it was disap-
ments laying out details are including a conglomerate ment: of GOP presidents, pre- pointing Trump was halt-
issued. Once implemented that dominates much of “You went out and you dicted the changes would ing the momentum that
Trump’s policy is expected Cuba’s economy, such as voted, and here I am, like I limit prospects for “positive had built but added that it
to curtail U.S. travel by cre- many hotels, state-run res- promised.” change on the island,” could have been worse.
ating a maze of rules for taurants and tour buses. Cheered by Cuba hardlin- while Rep. Tom Emmer, R- “This is a limitation on what
Americans to obey. The Surrounded by Florida ers in both parties, Trump’s Minn., said Trump’s policy we did, not a reversal of
policy bans most financial Republican officials, the new policy is broadly op- was “misguided” and will what we did,” Rhodes said
transactions with a yet- president was unabashed posed by U.S. businesses hurt the U.S. economically. in an interview. q

Many Cuban exiles embrace

Trump policy but want more

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON ists about evenly divided
Associated Press between supporters and
MIAMI (AP) — Many Cuban opponents of the presi-
exiles in Miami are embrac- dent chanted and held up
ing the changes President signs outside the venue,
Donald Trump announced the Manuel Artime Theater,
Friday to his predecessor’s named after a late political
policies of engagement leader of Cuban exiles who
with the communist island launched the failed Bay of
— but some want even Pigs uprising in 1961.
more. Cuban-born poet Arman-
President Barack Obama’s do Valladares, who was
restoration of diplomatic imprisoned for 22 years by
relations with Cuba and the government of then-
easing of decades-old Cuban leader Fidel Cas-
travel and business restric- tro, said at a weekly lun-
tions had divided Cuban- cheon of Cuban exiles that
Americans. Hard-line ex- he is vexed that not all of
iles agreed with Trump’s Obama’s changes were
move to roll back some of rolled back.
the changes by restricting “President Trump prom-
commerce with entities ised that he would repeal
linked to Cuba’s military, everything Obama had
restoring tougher travel done with Cuba,” said Val-
rules and other moves in ladares, who was appoint-
hopes of forcing Cuba to- ed ambassador to the U.N.
ward democracy. Commission on Human
While Trump gave his Rights by President Ronald
speech, a hundred activ- Reagan in 1988. q