New travel restrictions further tighten stranglehold on the Cuban people by the Trump administration

In a new move that will further hurt the Cuban people, the Trump administration announced on Friday evening that starting in December, U.S. airlines will not be allowed to fly to any city in Cuba, except Havana. 

“This backroom move at 5 p.m. on a Friday is a weak and needlessly cruel blow to Cuban families. How are Cuban-Americans supposed to visit to see their loved ones if there are no flights to most of the country? …” asked James Williams, president of Engage Cuba, an organization who lobbies for the freedom to travel for all Americans.

Williams added, “It’s another sad day for the Cuban people who are being deported at record numbers [by the Trump administration], denied political asylum and now can’t visit their families.”

Marazul Miami, which has been bringing Cuban families together since 1979, has issued a statement asking everyone, especially travelers to Cuba whose families are being used as fodder in an electoral and political game by the Trump administration, to call their members of Congress and “let them know that our families are sacred and should not be used like pieces in chess board for electoral purposes,” said Marisol Rodriguez, president of Marazul Miami.

U.S. carriers currently offer direct flights from various U.S. cities to nine destinations other than the Cuban capital, including Santa Clara, Santiago and Holguin. An order issued by the Transportation Department gave them 45 days to cease those operations. American, Delta and JetBlue are among the airlines offering flight to locations in Cuba.

The State Department said that Transportation Department issued the new measure suspending scheduled air service, other than to Havana, “at the request of the Secretary of State.”

Mavis Anderson, senior associate at the Latin America Working Group, said, “In a string of cruel actions against Cuba, this administration has just announced another restriction to cause harm and hardship to the Cuban people, at the same time professing to act for their benefit…” 

Anderson, as well as a host of others who continue to work on the Cuba issue, urged “U.S. citizens to make the message to this administration loud and clear by energetically supporting the travel bills currently before the House and Senate by calling our members of Congress and even through taking to the streets.”

(Telephone numbers for the members of the House of Representatives and for the Senate). Also call the White House at (202) 456-1111 and let them know how dissatisfied you are with their decision.