The United States imposes new restrictions on tourism to Cuba in 2017.
Context
In November 2017, the United States officially tightened rules on its citizens visits to Cuba – ending individual tours and mandating the presence of tour guides on authorised group tours (thus making tourism more expensive). The new rules also banned use of 83 Cuban hotels believed to have links to the Cuban military and security services. The broader historical context here is the aftermath of the 1953-59 Cuban Revolution – which removed Havana from the US sphere of influence as a client state – prompting a major, multi-decade regime change campaign by Washington. These particular Weaponised Trade mechanisms reflect the Trump administration’s policy preference to reverse the Obama administration’s attempts to move towards détente and normalisation of US-Cuba ties. These measures also came shortly after reports that multiple US embassy personnel in Havana had fallen ill with “mysterious afflictions” attributed to Cuban government actions by President Trump – an allegation that Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez called “deliberate lies”.
Impact
This measure targeted the tourism industry. In 2017 83 Cuban hotels were named in the ban for US tourists. The US State Department’s subsequent, more extensive Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List Initial Publication from September 2020 is available here.
i) Cuban government and industry responses.
When the Trump administration’s initial roll-back of Obama-era Cuba policies was announced, in June 2017, Cuban state media reported that “[t]he government of Cuba denounces the new measures toughening the embargo” but nevertheless emphasised Havana’s “willingness to continue the respectful dialogue and cooperation” with Washington. English language media reporting does not demonstrate any individual or organised response from the impacted hotels.
(ii) Other states’ responses
The introduction of these Weaponised Trade measures came only a week after the UN General Assembly passed its typical annual statement denouncing Washington’s punitive economic embargo against Cuba. At the time, then US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the United Nations that the “United States does not fear isolation in this chamber (the UNGA) or anywhere else.”
Status
In September 2020 the Trump administration expanded the range of measures imposed on Cuba, including through a new ban on US tourists in bringing Cuban cigars and alcohol back into the United States. In May 2022 the Biden administration announced its own policy changes which eased some travel restrictions for travel to Cuba – including those around attendance and organisation of professional meetings/conferences. However, as a Congressional Research Service report from 2022 notes, “individual people-to-people travel remains unauthorized”.
Reference list
BBC News. 2017. “Cuba denounces Trump’s policy rollback.” BBC News. June 17. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40311287
CFR. 2024. “Backgrounder: U.S.-Cuba Relations” Council on Foreign Relations. April 24. Available at: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-cuba-relations
Chappell, B. 2017. “U.S. Bans Americans From Staying In More Than 80 Cuban Hotels.” NPR. November 8. Available at: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/08/562850877/u-s-bans-americans-from-staying-in-more-than-80-cuban-hotels
Harris, G. 2017. “Trump Tightens Cuba Embargo, Restricting Access to Hotels and Businesses.” New York Times. November 7. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/ 2017/11/08/us/politics/trump-tightens-cuba-embargo-restricting-access-to-hotels-businesses.html
Mason, J. and M. Spetalnick. 2020. “Trump imposes new bans on Cuban rum, cigars, hotels.” Reuters. September 24. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/world/ trump-imposes-new-bans-on-cuban-rum-cigars-hotels-idUSKCN26E2PU/
Sullivan, M. 2022. “Biden Administration’s Cuba Policy Changes.” Congressional Research Service. August 11. Available at: https://crsreports.congress.gov/ product/pdf/IN/IN11937/4
The Guardian. 2017. “Trump says Cuba ‘responsible’ for alleged sonic attacks, but offers no evidence.” The Guardian. October 17. Available at: https://www.theguardian. com/world/2017/oct/16/trump-says-cuba-responsible-for-alleged-sonic-attacks-but-offers-no-evidence
US State Department. 2020. “Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List Initial Publication.” US State Department. September 28. Available at: https://www.state.gov/cuba-sanctions/cuba-prohibited-accommodations-list/cuba-prohibited-accommodations-list-initial-publication/