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U.S. Ramps Up Pressure on Cuba
Restrictions on maritime traffic and a lawmaker’s proposal aim to “starve” Cubans under the guise of targeting the Cuban government
On Thursday, Rep. Carlos Giménez (R-FL-28) requested that the Trump administration impose measures to end all travel from the U.S. to Cuba and ban remittances sent from the U.S. to Cubans who are struggling on the island. This comes after a March announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) restricting maritime travel between the two countries, essentially banning all Cuban vessels from the U.S.
Giménez, the only lawmaker who was born in Cuba, wrote a letter urging Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to apply further restrictions on the island, arguing that Cuba represents a threat to the United States and its citizens. As is typical in U.S.-Cuba relations, Giménez offered no evidence to support such a claim against a government that has worked extensively with the U.S. on counterterrorism efforts and combating human smuggling and narcotrafficking.
“The Trump Administration’s actions — most notably the tightening of restrictions on travel and remittances — were welcomed by our community as a much-needed step to limit the regime’s access to resources and hard currency to further…
