The United States will keep the national emergency declaration that prevents US vessels from entering Cuban territorial waters in force for at least another year.
“I am extending the national emergency with respect to Cuba” regarding “the regulation of the anchoring and movement of vessels,” indicates the signed document by US President Joe Biden, released by the White House last Friday.
The document notes that “the unauthorized entry of any US-registered vessel into Cuban territorial waters continues to be detrimental to US foreign policy” and “could facilitate mass migration from Cuba.”
The emergency declaration was imposed by former President Bill Clinton in March 1996, after Cuban MiG fighters shot down two Hermanos al Rescate planes on February 24 of that year. The event produced four deaths.
For Cuba, the planes had violated its airspace in order to disseminate propaganda material, although the US government reiterated that they were in international airspace.
On March 1, 1996, Clinton issued the emergency declaration, which was softened, although maintained, by the Executive of President Barack Obama, despite having reestablished relations with Havana in 2014.
“There is still a need to continue with this national emergency, based on a disturbance or threat of disturbance of the international relations of the United States related to Cuba,” says the document, also cited by US media as VOA.
precisely the voice of america remember that the current migratory wave it has already taken more than 224,000 Cuban migrants to the US from October 2021 to date.
The Biden administration has taken some steps towards improving relations, especially on the immigration issue, but it still maintains many of the same sanctions put into effect by Trump, aim VOA.
