Trump Cancels Obama’s Deal with Cuba

US President Donald Trump says he is canceling  what he described as a “one-sided” US deal with Cuba by imposing travel and trade restrictions on the island nation, claiming that former President Barack Obama’s approach on the country has allowed the Cuban government to benefit from increased tourism, according to Press TV. 

Speaking to Cuban-American exiles in Miami, Florida, on Friday, Trump ordered tighter restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba and a clampdown on US businessmen doing business with companies allegedly controlled by the Cuban military.

 “Effective immediately, I am canceling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba”, Trump said in Miami’s Little Havana on Friday. “Our policy will seek a much better deal for the Cuban people and the USA.”

There will be no lifting of US sanctions against Cuba “until all political prisoners are free, freedom of expression and assembly are respected, all political parties are legalized, and free and internationally supervised elections are scheduled,” Trump declared.

Meanwhile, the White House announced plans to reverse parts Obama’s historic restoration of ties with the Latin American country after a 2014 diplomatic breakthrough between the two former Cold War foes.

During last year’s presidential campaign, Trump threatened to “terminate” deals that the Obama administration made with Cuba.

Obama re-established diplomatic relations with Havana in 2015 and loosened some restrictions on doing business in the country.

The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and placed an official embargo against the country in 1962.

The two countries became ideological foes soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power and their ties remained hostile even after the end of the Cold War.

H.M