After the decision taken by the United States to relax the restrictions that it had once morest Cuba, the White House has just made another momentous decision: to lift some of the economic sanctions once morest Venezuela.
As it was known, it would be a gesture “of good will” from the administration of Joe Biden, who seeks to encourage the resumption of negotiations between the opposition backed by Washington and the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
According to a senior White House official, quoted by the AFP agencythis decision is due to what was discussed between delegates of the US Government and “the Unitary Platform”, which “came to ask us to do that in order to return to the negotiating table”.
The so-called Unitary Platform is made up of the Venezuelan opposition parties that have a negotiating table with the Maduro administration.
It should be remembered that the talks that the Venezuelan government and the opposition had been holding in Mexico City were suspended in October last year following the extradition of Maduro’s alleged figurehead, Alex Saab.
While the White House official noted that the sanctions that will be lifted will be “limited”, it was learned that among these would be the permission for the US oil company Chevron to negotiate with the Venezuelan state-owned PDVSA.
In March of this year, amid these goodwill gestures, Maduro released two US prisoners and promised to resume negotiations with his opponents.
Cuba
The United States announced on Monday the easing of a series of restrictions on Cuba imposed under the presidency of Donald Trumpincluding immigration procedures, money transfers and flights, reported the Government of Joe Biden.
“With these measures we intend to support the aspirations of freedom and greater economic opportunities of Cubans so they can lead successful lives at home,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
The Biden administration said that will restore the family reunification program for Cubans CFRP, suspended since 2017. Created in 2007, this program allows US citizens or residents to request that their relatives in Cuba travel to the United States and apply for work authorization there while their legal resident status is processed.
He also promised to increase the visa application processing capacity in Havana.
In addition, he said that he will eliminate the current limit of family remittances of 1,000 dollars per quarter. for the sender-recipient couple and that will authorize the remittances of donations, that is, non-family, to support “independent Cuban entrepreneurs.”
The State Department specified, however, that these financial flows must not “enrich” persons or entities that violate human rights.
The Biden administration will also increase the number of flights between the United States and the island, authorizing service to cities other than Havana. And it will authorize certain currently prohibited group travel.
However, he clarified that individual trips will not be reinstated.
“The (Biden) administration’s policy toward Cuba continues to focus first and foremost on supporting the Cuban people, including their human rights and their political and economic well-being,” Price said.
