Washington, Jul 4 (Prensa Latina) Beginning in November American Airlines (AA), currently the largest U.S. airline operator to Cuba, could increase to 12 daily flights to five Cuban cities.
The airline requested permission to expand its services following the lifting of restrictions imposed during Donald Trump’s term (2017-2021) and that until May maintained by his successor, Joe Biden.
In its proposal, AA intends to have one daily frequency between Miami International Airport to Matanzas/Varadero; two to Santa Clara and
one a day to Holguin, Camagüey and Santiago de Cuba. On May 31, the Department of Transportation revoked a series of restrictions on flights to Cuba, due to the request of the Department of State, repealing Trump’s restrictions.
The Republican gave a turn to the U.S. blockade of Cuba during his administration with the imposition of at least 243 coercive measures.
Between 2019-2020, Trump suspended the aforementioned air connections, including the possibility of public charter flights, except to Jose Marti International in the Cuban capital.
It brought flights to almost zero, closed consular services at the U.S. embassy in Havana, vetoed the entry of cruise ships and chased tankers carrying oil to Cuba, as part of the policy of maximum pressure against Cuba, which was exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
On May 16, the White House took a positive step, “but of very limited scope, with respect to Cuba in the area of visas, regular migration, flights to the provinces, remittances, and adjustments to regulations for transactions with the non-state sector, a statement from the Cuban Foreign Ministry informed. The Havana authorities made it clear at the time that the announcements “do not modify in any way the blockade, nor the main measures of economic siege taken by Trump”.
Nor do they reverse the arbitrary and fraudulent inclusion of Cuba on the State Department’s list of countries that are alleged to be sponsors of terrorism. This is one of the main difficulties Cuba encounters in its commercial and financial transactions in many parts of the world, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.
However, the statement said, “this is a limited step in the right direction, a response to the denunciation of the Cuban people and government, it lso responds to the calls of the U.S. society and the Cubans living in this country.
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