Updated October 29, 2021
Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview
Cuban Political and Economic Developments
rights groups reported summary trials for some of those
Cuba remains a one-party authoritarian state with a
detained. As of the end of September 2021, the human
government that has sharply restricted freedoms of
rights group Cuban Prisoners Defenders (CPD) reported
expression, association, assembly, and other basic human
442 political prisoners (up from 152 on July 1), with 275
rights since the early years of the 1959 Cuban revolution.
imprisoned and considered prisoners of conscience by CPD,
123 under conditional releas e, and 44 imprisoned for other
Miguel Díaz-Canel succeeded Raúl Castro as president in
politically motivated acts. In October 2021, Human Rights
2018 and as head of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) at
Watch issued a report documenting “human rights abuses,
its eighth party congress in April 2021. The departure of
including arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment in detention,
Castro and other older leaders from the PCC’s Politburo
and abusive criminal proceedings” against 130 protesters.
reflects the generational change in Cuban leadership that
began several years ago. While in power (2006-2018), Raúl
The Cuban government denied permission for a new
Castro began to move Cuba toward a more mixed economy
dissident group, Archipiélago, to conduct a countrywide
with a stronger private sector, but his government’s slow,
“civic march for change” on November 15. Cuban officials
gradualist approach did not produce major improvements.
have threatened opposition leaders with prosecution if they
Cuba adopted a new constitution in 2019 that introduced
go ahead with the marches, and President Díaz-Canel has
some reforms but maintained the state’s dominance over the
accused the United States of playing a role in fomenting the
economy and the PCC’s predominant political role.
protests.
The Cuban economy is being hard-hit by the economic
U.S. Policy
shutdown associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019
Since the early 1960s, when the United States imposed a
(COVID-19) pandemic; Venezuela’s economic crisis,
trade embargo on Cuba, the centerpiece of U.S. policy
which has reduced Venezuelan financial support; and U.S.
toward Cuba has consisted of economic sanctions aimed at
economic sanctions. The Cuban government reports the
isolating the Cuban government. In late 2014, the Obama
economy contracted 11% in 2020 and projects around 2%
Administration initiated a policy shift away from sanctions
growth in 2021. In January 2021, Cuba eliminated its dual
and toward engagement and the normalization of relations.
currency system; the long-debated reform has spurred
Changes included the rescission of Cuba’s designation as a
inflation, but economists maintain it should boost
state sponsor of international terrorism (May 2015); the
productivity in the long term.
restoration of diplomatic relations (July 2015); and an
easing of restrictions on travel, remittances, trade,
Cuba’s public health response to the pandemic initially kept
telecommunications, and banking and financial services
cases and deaths low, but both increased in late 2020 and
(2015-2016). The restoration of relations led to increased
surged until August 2021. As of October 28, Cuba reported
government-to-government engagement, with over 20
over 8,200 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
bilateral agreements and numerous dialogues.
Cuba has produced its own vaccines, fully vaccinated 62%
of its population as of October 28, and announced eased
President Trump unveiled his Administration’s Cuba policy
requirements for foreign visitors beginning November 15.
in 2017, issuing a national security presidential
memorandum that introduced new sanctions, including
Beginning in November 2020, the government cracked
restrictions on transactions with companies controlled by
down strongly on the San Isidro Movement (MSI), a civil
the Cuban military. By 2019, the Trump Administration had
society group opposed to restrictions on artistic expression.
largely abandoned engagement and significantly increased
Motivated by the repression of the MSI, in February 2021, a
sanctions, particularly on travel and remittances, to pressure
group of well-known Cuban hip-hop recording artists
Cuba on human rights and for its support of the Venezuelan
released a song and music video, Patria y Vida, critical of
government of Nicolás Maduro.
the government that became an instant hit.
In its initial months, the Biden Administration announced it
On July 11, 2021, widespread anti-government
was conducting a review of policy toward Cuba. The White
demonstrations broke out in Havana and in cities and towns
House press secretary said on March 9, 2021, that although
throughout the country, with thousands of Cubans
a Cuba policy shift was not among the President’s top
protesting shortages of food and medicine, daily blackouts,
priorities, the Administration was “committed to making
slow progress on COVID-19 vaccinations, and long-
human rights a core pillar” of policy and would review
standing concerns about the lack of freedom of expression
policy decisions made in the prior administration, including
and assembly. The government responded with harsh
the decision to designate Cuba as a state sponsor of
measures, including widespread detentions of hundreds of
terrorism. Nevertheless, sanctions imposed under the
protesters, activists, and journalists, and Cuban human
Trump Administration remain in place.
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Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview
After Cuba’s July 11 protests, President Biden and other
issues. In December 2020, the National Academies of
U.S. officials expressed solidarity with the protesters and
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report
strongly criticized the Cuban government for its repressive
concluding the most plausible mechanism for the source of
response. The Treasury Department imposed targeted
the health symptoms was directed pulsed radio frequency
sanctions on several Cuban security officials and entities
energy. U.S. officials maintain that investigations into the
(see below), and the State Department joined with 20
cause or source of these anomalous health incidents have
countries to condemn Cuba’s mass arrests and detentions.
not reached a conclusion. As many as 200 U.S. government
Among other actions, the Administration established a
and military officials worldwide have been affected by
working group to identify effective ways to get remittances
these incidents since 2016, according to U.S. officials. In
directly to the Cuban people and began reviewing plans to
September 2021, Congress enacted legislation (P.L. 117-
increase staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Havana to facilitate
46) authorizing the provision of payment to Central
consular services and civil society engagement. The State
Intelligence Agency and State Department personnel who
Department has condemned Cuba’s decision to deny
experience certain brain injuries.
permission for peaceful protests on November 15.
117th Congress: Legislative Initiatives
Selected U.S. Sanctions Imposed Since 2017
Congress has begun consideration of the Administration’s
Transactions with the Cuban Military. In 2017, the State
FY2022 request of $20 million for Cuba democracy and
Department published a list of entities controlled by the
human rights programming (same as appropriated annually
Cuban military, intelligence, or security services with
since FY2014) and $12.973 million for Cuba broadcasting
which direct financial transactions would disproportionately
(same as appropriated in FY2021). Both the House-
benefit those services or personnel at the expense of the
approved and Senate introduced versions of the FY2022
Cuban people or private enterprise. Last updated in January
foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4373, H.Rept. 117-84;
2021, this “Cuba restricted list” includes 231 entities
S. 3075) would fully fund both programs. Of the $20
(ministries, hotels, and numerous businesses).
million for Cuba democracy programs, the House bill
would provide not less than $5 million to support free
Travel and Remittances. Since 2019, the United States has
enterprise, private business organizations, and people-to-
imposed an array of restrictions on travel and remittances.
people and cultural activities. In contrast, the Senate bill
These have included eliminating people-to-people
would provide $5 million for such activities in addition to
educational travel, prohibiting cruise ships and private and
the $20 million in democracy funding.
corporate aircraft from going to Cuba, suspending
commercial flights to cities other than Havana, and
The Senate has approved three Cuba human rights
prohibiting U.S. travelers from staying at over 400 hotels
resolutions: in April, S.Res. 37, expressing solidarity with
and private residences identified as owned or controlled by
the MSI; in May, S.Res. 81, honoring Las Damas de
the Cuban government. On remittances, Treasury prohibited
Blanco, a woman-led human rights group; and in August,
the processing of remittances through entities on the “Cuba
S.Res. 310, expressing solidarity with Cubans
restricted list,” which resulted in Western Union ceasing its
demonstrating peacefully, condemning Cuba’s repression,
operations in Cuba in November 2020.
and calling for the release of those detained. The Senate
approved S. 2045 in July, which would rename the street in
Targeted Human Rights Sanctions. Under the Trump
front of the Cuban Embassy after a democracy activist.
Administration, the State and Treasury Departments
imposed targeted sanctions on several high-ranking Cuban
Among other bills, H.R. 198 would permit Cuban nationals
officials and the Ministry of the Interior. Under the Biden
to play U.S. professional baseball; H.R. 287 and S. 689
Administration, in the aftermath of the July 11 protests, the
would prohibit the rescission of Cuba’s designation as a
Treasury Department imposed four rounds of targeted
state sponsor of terrorism until Cuba satisfies certain
financial sanctions, from July 22 to August 19, on three
conditions; H.R. 2684 would establish a Cuban family
Cuban security entities and eight security officials involved
reunification parole program; S. 249 and H.R. 3625 would
in actions to suppress the protests.
lift economic sanctions; S. 1694 would lift trade
restrictions; S. 2138 would allow certain Cuban medical
Terrorism Designations. In May 2020, then-Secretary of
personnel working in third countries admission into the
State Pompeo (pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act)
United States; H.R. 5069 would direct the Secretary of
included Cuba in the annual list of countries certified as not
State to facilitate unrestricted internet access in Cuba; and
cooperating fully with U.S. anti-terrorism efforts for the
S. 2990, among its provisions, would impose sanctions on
first time since 2015. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
foreign persons for engaging in certain transactions related
also included Cuba on the annual list in May 2021. In
to Cuba.
January 2021, pursuant to several laws, Pompeo designated
the Cuban government as a state sponsor of international
Also see CRS Report RL31139, Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on
terrorism, citing Cuba’s harboring several U.S. fugitives
Travel and Remittances; and CRS Report R45657, Cuba:
and members of Colombia’s National Liberation Army.
U.S. Policy in the 116th Congress and Through the Trump
Administration.
Injuries of U.S. Embassy Personnel
Between late 2016 and May 2018, 26 U.S. Embassy
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
Havana community members suffered a series of
unexplained injuries , including hearing loss and cognitive
IF10045
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Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10045 · VERSION 91 · UPDATED