Trump imposes new sanctions on Cuba amid tough 2020 races in Florida
Iran Press TV
Wednesday, 23 September 2020 9:40 PM
The US has imposed new sanctions on the Cuban government as the Trump administration keeps raising tensions between the two countries.
"Today, as part of our continuing fight against communist oppression, I am announcing that the Treasury Department will prohibit US travelers from staying at properties owned by the Cuban government," President Donald Trump said at a White House event on Wednesday.
The Republican president's measure was aimed at preventing Americans from staying at properties owned by the Cuban government and imposing curbs on imports of Cuban rum and cigars.
"We're also further restricting the importation of alcohol and Cuban tobacco," he said.
The 2020 presidential battles have been tough in the key state of Florida, an important voting bloc of which are Cuban Americans.
"These actions will ensure that US dollars do not fund the Cuban regime and go directly to the Cuban people," Trump said.
Speaking at the ceremony honoring Bay of Pigs veterans and commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Mariel boatlift that brought 120,000 Cubans to Miami, Trump was hoping to lock in the Cuban-American vote by taking a harsh stance against Cuba ahead of November's presidential election.
"The Obama-Biden administration made a weak, pathetic, one-sided deal with the Castro dictatorship that betrayed the Cuban people and enriched the communist regime. I canceled the Obama-Biden sellout to the Castro regime," Trump told the small audience. "We will not lift sanctions until all political prisoners are freed, freedoms of assembly and expression are respected, all political parties are legalized and free elections are scheduled... They will have to go through a lot but things are happening."
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control later in the day amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations.
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