With less than one week to go in his presidency, Joe Biden has lifted some restrictions on Cuba. Specifically, among several moves, President Biden rescinded Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, while also revoking National Security Presidential Memorandum 5, which was responsible for the State Department-created list of businesses that Americans were prohibited from partaking in financial transactions with.
The latter, should the regulation remain in place once President-elect Donald Trump returns to office, would have the greatest impact on travel out of all the announcements made Tuesday, January 14. The so-called “restricted list” included entities and sub-entities under the control of or acting for or on behalf of the Cuban military, intelligence or security services (“Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A.,” or “GAESA”). Doing business with these entities, according to the State Department “would disproportionately benefit such services or personnel at the expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba. “
The list included 33 hotels in Havana, one in Santiogo de Cuba, 21 in Varadero and roughly 100 more throughout the island. The list also included two tour companies, five marinas and 10 stores in Old Havana. Former President Donald Trump’s Administration created the list. So while President Biden’s revocation of the memorandum prohibiting business with these entities should create more ways for Americans to experience Cuba, it’s seemingly likely that the policy will simply be undone when Trump assumes office.
Notably, however, Biden did not change the ways in which Americans are allowed to visit Cuba. "support for the Cuban people" is still the best options for U.S. citizens looking to visit Cuba. For more on that, visit usembassy.gov/traveling-to-cuba.
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