Cuba’s top negotiator says Obama regulatory changes don’t go far enough

Cuba’s top negotiator with the United States called President Barack Obama’s latest set of regulatory changes on trade with Cuba a “positive step” toward the lifting the embargo and improving relations between the two countries, but added they do not go far enough.

The latest regulatory changes recognize Cuba as a partner and respect its sovereignty, but Josefina Vidal, who heads the U.S. Department at Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, said they don’t hide the fact that the United States seeks to change the economic, political and social systems of Cuba.

“Nor does it hide the intention of continuing to develop in our country interventionist programs that benefit the interests of the United States,” Vidal said.

On Friday, the Obama administration announced a new round of regulatory changes meant to ease trade, travel and financial restriction with Cuba and make it harder for any new administration to reverse them. The changes include eliminating the $100 limit on the value of Cuban rum and cigars that American travelers can bring back from the island.

The new rules also allow online sales of consumer goods, such as toothpaste and televisions, to Cubans without requiring U.S. companies to get a prior license. But Vidal questioned the financial benefits and said most go to unauthorized transactions.

“The new measures generally benefit the U.S. more than Cuba and the Cuban people,” Vidal said. “The reality is that the blockade persists and it’s something that we have to continue living with.”

This story was originally published October 15, 2016 at 4:00 AM with the headline "Cuba’s top negotiator says Obama regulatory changes don’t go far enough."