'People To People' Educational Visits Discontinued

If you were planning to fly your private airplane the 90 miles from Key West to Havana, you're going to have to make other travel plans, and you may not be able to go at all.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday unveiled amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) to further implement President Trump's foreign policy on Cuba. These amendments complement changes to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which Commerce is also unveiling today. These regulatory changes were announced on April 17, 2019 and include restrictions on non-family travel to Cuba.

“Cuba continues to play a destabilizing role in the Western Hemisphere, providing a communist foothold in the region and propping up U.S. adversaries in places like Venezuela and Nicaragua by fomenting instability, undermining the rule of law, and suppressing democratic processes,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “This Administration has made a strategic decision to reverse the loosening of sanctions and other restrictions on the Cuban regime. These actions will help to keep U.S. dollars out of the hands of Cuban military, intelligence, and security services.”

These actions mark a continued commitment towards implementing the National Security Presidential Memorandum signed by the President on June 16, 2017 titled “Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba.” These policies continue to work to channel economic activities away from the Cuban military, intelligence, and security services. The Treasury changes will take effect on June 5, 2019 when the regulations are published in the Federal Register.

According to a Caribbean Travel Adventures news release, the general license for private and charter aircraft will be revoked effective June 5. Specific license requests for private and charter aircraft in the future will be denied by the U.S. Commerce Department. Cruise ships are no longer authorized to stop at Cuban ports. U.S. commercial airlines, however, can continue their flights.

But the types of passengers on those flights will no longer include those traveling for what had become popular "People to People" educational visits by U.S. Citizens. Basically, travel to Cuba strictly for tourism has ended.

Travel to Cuba remains legal for a number of authorized U.S. Treasury categories including:

• family visits;
• official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations;
• journalistic activity;
• professional research and professional meetings;
• educational activities;
• religious activities;
• public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions;
• support for the Cuban people;
• humanitarian projects;
• activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes;
• exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and
• certain authorized export transactions.

(Source: Treasury Department and Caribbean Flying Adventures news releases. Images from file)

FMI: www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_faqs_new.pdf