Updated July 22, 2021
Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview
Cuban Political and Economic Developments
including widespread detentions of hundreds of protesters,
Cuba remains a one-party authoritarian state with a
activists, and journalists, according to Cuban human rights
government that has sharply restricted freedoms of
groups. The government blocked access to social media and
expression, association, assembly, and other basic human
messaging platforms that had been instrumental in bringing
rights since the early years of the 1959 Cuban revolution.
Cubans to the streets. Prior to the protest, as of July 1, 2021,
the human rights group Cuban Prisoners Defenders reported
Current President Miguel Díaz-Canel succeeded Raúl
150 political prisoners (with 41 under conditional release).
Castro in 2018. In April 2021, Díaz-Canel also succeeded
Castro as head of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) at its
U.S. Policy
eighth party congress. The departure of Castro and other
Since the early 1960s, when the United States imposed a
older leaders from the PCC’s Politburo reflects the
trade embargo on Cuba, the centerpiece of U.S. policy
generational change in Cuban leadership that began several
toward Cuba has consisted of economic sanctions aimed at
years ago. While in power (2006-2018), Raúl Castro began
isolating the Cuban government.
to move Cuba toward a more mixed economy with a
stronger private sector, but his government’s slow,
In late 2014, the Obama Administration initiated a policy
gradualist approach did not produce major improvements.
shift away from sanctions and toward engagement and the
Cuba adopted a new constitution in 2019 that introduced
normalization of relations. Changes included the rescission
some reforms but maintained the state’s dominance over the
of Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of international
economy and the PCC’s predominant political role.
terrorism (May 2015); the restoration of diplomatic
relations (July 2015); and an easing of restrictions on travel,
The Cuban economy is being hard-hit by the economic
remittances, trade, telecommunications, and banking and
shutdown associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019
financial services (2015-2016). The restoration of relations
(COVID-19) pandemic; Venezuela’s economic cris is,
led to increased government-to-government engagement,
which has reduced Venezuelan financial support; and U.S.
with over 20 bilateral agreements and numerous dialogues.
economic sanctions. The Cuban government reports the
economy contracted 11% in 2020, and the Economist
President Trump unveiled his Administration’s Cuba policy
Intelligence Unit projects 2.2% growth in 2021. In January
in 2017, issuing a national security presidential
2021, Cuba eliminated its dual currency system; the long-
memorandum that introduced new sanctions, including
debated reform has spurred inflation, but economists
restrictions on transactions with companies controlled by
maintain it should boost productivity in the long term.
the Cuban military. By 2019, the Trump Administration had
largely abandoned engagement and significantly increased
Cuba’s public health response to the pandemic initially kept
sanctions to pressure Cuba on human rights and for its
cases and deaths low, but both increased in late 2020 and
support of the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro.
have surged in 2021. As of July 21, 2021, the country
reported 2,072 deaths, with a mortality rate of almost 18 per
The Biden Administration is conducting a review of policy
100,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins University.
toward Cuba. The White House press secretary said on
Cuba has developed two vaccines and, as of July 21, 2021,
March 9, 2021, that although a Cuba policy shift was not
had fully vaccinated 19% of its population, far from its goal
among the President’s top priorities, the Administration was
of having 70% of the population vaccinated by August.
“committed to making human rights a core pillar” of policy
and “to carefully reviewing policy decisions made in the
Beginning in November 2020, the government cracked
prior administration, including the decision to designate
down strongly on the San Isidro Movement (MSI), a civil
Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.” Sanctions imposed
society group opposed to restrictions on artistic expression.
under the Trump Administration remain in place. In May,
Motivated by the repression of the MSI, in February 2021, a
the State Department renewed Cuba’s designation as a
group of well-known Cuban hip-hop recording artists
country not cooperating fully with U.S. anti-terrorism
released a song and music video, Patria y Vida, critical of
efforts. In June, it cited Cuba for labor abuses associated
the government that became an instant hit.
with its foreign medical missions and continued to rank
Cuba as Tier 3 in its annual Trafficking in Persons report
On July 11, 2021, widespread anti-government
(denoting countries whose governments do not fully
demonstrations broke out in Havana and in cities and towns
comply with the minimum standards for combatting
throughout the country, with thousands of Cubans
trafficking and are not making significant efforts to do so).
protesting shortages of food and medicine, daily blackouts,
and slow progress on COVID-19 vaccinations and chanting
After Cuba’s July 11 protests, President Biden and other
“freedom,” a reference to the country’s authoritarian
Administration officials expressed solidarity with the
system. The government responded with harsh measures,
protesters and strongly criticized the Cuban government for
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Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview
its repressive response. The Administration is considering
Terrorism Designations. In May 2020, then-Secretary of
several additional measures, including working with the
State Pompeo (pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act)
private sector and Congress to identify viable options to
included Cuba in the annual list of countries certified as not
make the internet more accessible in Cuba; imposing
cooperating fully with U.S. anti-terrorism efforts for the
additional targeted sanctions on designated Cuban officials
first time since 2015. In May 2021, Secretary of State
responsible for violence, repression, and human rights
Antony Blinken also included Cuba on the annual list. In
violations against peaceful protesters; and establishing a
January 2021, pursuant to several laws, Pompeo designated
remittances working group to identify the most effective
the Cuban government as a state sponsor of international
way to get remittances directly into the hands of the Cuban
terrorism, citing Cuba’s harboring of several U.S. fugitives
people. The State Department also is reviewing plans to
and members of Colombia’s National Liberation Army.
increase staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Havana to facilitate
consular activities and engagement with civil society.
Injuries of U.S. Embassy Personnel
Between late 2016 and May 2018, 26 U.S. Embassy
Key U.S. Sanctions Imposed Since 2017
Havana community members suffered a series of
Restrictions on Transactions with the Cuban Military.
unexplained injuries, including hearing loss and cognitive
In 2017, the State Department published a list of entities
issues. The State Department maintains the investigation
controlled by the Cuban military, intelligence, or security
into the injuries has not reached a conclusion regarding the
services with which direct financial transactions would
cause or source. In December 2020, the National
disproportionately benefit those services or personnel at the
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise. Last
released a report concluding the most plausible mechanism
updated in January 2021, this “Cuba restricted list” includes
for the source of the health symptoms was directed pulsed
231 entities (ministries, hotels, and numerous businesses).
radio frequency energy. In early June 2021, Secretary of
State Blinken said the National Security Council was
Efforts to Stop Venezuelan Oil Exports to Cuba. In
leading a government-wide review on the issue. (On June 7,
2019, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on
the Senate passed S. 1828, which would provide additional
several shipping companies and vessels that transported
authority to the Central Intelligence Agency and the State
Venezuelan oil to Cuba and sanctioned Cuba’s state-run oil
Department to provide financial support to those Americans
import-export company.
serving abroad who experience traumatic brain injuries.)
Lawsuits Related to Confiscated Property. In May 2019,
117th Congress: Legislative Initiatives
then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo allowed U.S.
Congress has begun consideration of the Biden
nationals the right to file lawsuits against those trafficking
Administration’s FY2022 request of $20 million for Cuba
in confiscated property in Cuba, pursuant to Title III of the
democracy and human rights programming (same as
Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD)
appropriated annually since FY2014) and $12.973 million
Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-114). To date, 40 lawsuits have been
for Cuba broadcasting (same as appropriated in FY2021).
filed against U.S. and foreign companies; several lawsuits
The House Appropriations Committee-reported foreign
have been dismissed and one reportedly is being settled.
operations appropriations bill, H.R. 4373 (H.Rept. 117-84),
would fully fund the requested amounts for both programs.
Restrictions on Travel and Remittances. Since 2019, the
United States has imposed an array of restrictions on travel
In April and May 2021, the Senate approved two Cuba
and remittances. On travel, these have included eliminating
human rights resolutions: S.Res. 37, expressing solidarity
people-to-people educational travel, prohibiting cruise ships
with the MSI, and S.Res. 81, honoring Las Damas de
and private and corporate aircraft from going to Cuba,
Blanco, a woman-led nonviolent human rights group. In the
suspending commercial flights to cites other than Havana,
aftermath of Cuba’s July 2021 protests, four human rights
and prohibiting U.S. travelers from staying at over 400
resolutions have been introduced: H.Res. 527, H.Res. 529,
hotels and private residences identified by the State
H.Res. 534, S.Res. 303, and S.Res. 310.
Department as owned or controlled by the Cuban
government. On remittances, Treasury capped family
Among introduced bills, H.R. 198 would permit Cuban
remittances to $1,000 per quarter per Cuban national;
nationals to play professional baseball in the United States;
eliminated donative remittances; and prohibited the
H.R. 287 and S. 689 would prohibit the rescission of
processing of remittances through entities on the “Cuba
Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism until
restricted list,” which resulted in Western Union ceasing its
Cuba satisfies certain conditions; H.R. 2684 would
operations in Cuba in November 2020.
establish a Cuban family reunification parole program; S.
249 and H.R. 3625 would lift economic sanctions; S. 1694
Targeted Human Rights Sanctions. Since 2019, the State
would lift trade restrictions; and S. 2138 would allow
Department has imposed visa restrictions on three high-
certain Cuban medical personnel working in third countries
ranking Cuban officials (Raúl Castro and the defense and
admission into the United States.
interior ministers) and their immediate family members.
Treasury imposed financial sanctions on the head of
Also see CRS Report R45657, Cuba: U.S. Policy in the
GAESA, a military holding company, in 2020, and on the
116th Congress and Through the Trump Administration,
interior ministry and minister in January 2021.
and CRS Report RL31139, Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on
Travel and Remittances.
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Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview

IF10045
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10045 · VERSION 88 · UPDATED

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