Unlawful US sanctions on nations, entities and individuals are weapons of war by other means.
Since taking office in January 2017, Trump imposed sanctions on numerous countries extrajudicially, including Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
Despite having no legal validity, they’re piled on to immiserate their populations, aiming to suffocate nations into submission — a failed objective whenever tried.
On Wednesday, the State Department announced new sanctions on Cuba, including entities on a so-called Cuba Prohibited Accommodations (CPA) List.
It prohibits or limits “transactions related to lodging at…433 properties that are owned or controlled by the Cuban (government) or certain well-connected insiders.”
The State Department defied reality, falsely claiming profits from state-owned or connected properties come “at the expense of the Cuban people” — a bald-faced Big Lie like countless others by the US against nations it doesn’t control.
A follow-up Big Lie falsely claimed “the Cuban people…face repression at the hands of their government (sic)” — what’s true about the US, other Western regimes and apartheid Israel.
Newly imposed US sanctions also ban or restrict imports of Cuban alcohol and tobacco products.
They prohibit “attending or organizing certain professional meetings or conferences in Cuba…”
They ban “participating in and organizing certain public performances, clinics, workshops, competitions, and exhibitions in” the country.
Trump’s “support” for the Cuban people is all about wanting them immiserated.
Earlier imposed Trump regime toughness on Cuba and its people remain in place for another year.
Longstanding US policy calls for transforming all sovereign independent countries into pro-Western vassal states.
In January 1959, Fidel Castro transformed Cuba from a US-controlled brothel into a nation serving the health and welfare of all its people.
Obama’s “new course on Cuba” was imperialism by another name, same dirty business as usual, new tactics.
Embargo, limited travel by Americans and other restrictions remained in place.
So did longstanding hostility toward Cuban sovereign independence.
Normalized relations aren’t possible without ending a lawless embargo. Not as long as Trump and hardliners surrounding him run things.
His anti-Cuba agenda since taking office rolled back modest Obama regime loosing of US toughness on the island state.
He banned “people-to-people” travel to Cuba. Treasury authorized US tour company group visits alone are permitted.
Americans traveling to the country face a likely punishing Treasury Department audit on return, an attempt to discourage visits to the state.
Transactions with entities linked to Cuba’s military are banned, some affiliated with the country’s tourism industry.
Trump’s hostility toward the state flies in the face of what most Americans and Cubans favor — normalized relations with a good neighbor, waging peace, stability, and cooperative relations with other nations in the region and worldwide.
New Trump regime sanctions on Cuba come ahead of US November 3 presidential and congressional elections — aiming to win support from most Cuban nationals in Florida and their descendants.
The sunshine state and Ohio are key for US presidential aspirants.
No GOP presidential aspirant ever won without taking Ohio.
In 27 of 39 US presidential elections since 1860 (the year Lincoln won), winners carried Florida, including Trump in 2016.
Races for senator and governor in the state are important.
Winners indicate which wing of the US one-party state has more support, a potential sign of how things will go in the same-year or next presidential election.
The latest Real Clear Politics polls through September 23 show Biden ahead by an average of 7 points.
They show Biden narrowly ahead in Ohio by around 2 points, in Florida by one point.
Given the margin of error, races in both states are a virtual dead heat. They could go either way as things now stand.
A Final Comment
In response to new Trump regime sanctions, President of Cuba Educational Travel Collin Laverty said the following:
New Trump regime travel restrictions to the island state “remove general licenses…for the purpose of professional events and conferences as well as public performances, sporting competitions, workshops and the like,” adding:
“(T)here are still ways US citizens can legally travel to Cuba. However, these prohibitions will create more confusion and complications.”
They mean “less travel (and) more hardships for Cuban families.”
Americans visiting Cuba will have alcohol and/or cigars on their possession confiscated on returning home.
Laverty asked: “How long will US politicians kick around the Cuban people for political victories in Florida.”
“Six decades of talking tough and tightening the embargo to please Cuban Americans has achieved nothing” except hardships for its people US politicians pretend to support.
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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
