The US has imposed new sanctions on Cuba, which are supposed to harm the tourism industry of the Caribbean state.
With the exception of the airport of the capital Havana, US airlines are no longer allowed to fly into Cuba's airports from 10 December, the US Department of Transportation announced on Friday.
The airlines have 45 days to stop regular service to the nine airports concerned in the communist country. The order, which applies until further notice, the US transport authority at the request of Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo adopted.
The US government wants to use punitive measures to punish the Cuban government for the "oppression" of its own people and the support of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. It concerns a total of nine international airports in Cuba, including the airport of the second largest city of Santiago de Cuba.
Transfers to Cuba limited to $ 4,000 a year
Already in June, the US government had ordered that US citizens are no longer allowed to travel to Cuba by cruise or other passenger ships, by sailing yachts or by private or corporate aircraft. Group educational trips from the US to Cuba were also no longer permitted. Vacation trips from US citizens to Cuba had previously been possible only under certain conditions.
Only last month, transfers to Cuba had been restricted. Since then, people in the US are only allowed to send a maximum of US $ 1,000 (€ 900) per quarter to relatives in the Caribbean. Family members of certain senior officials and members of the Communist Party are no longer allowed to receive any transfers.
DPA
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The government of US President Donald Trump has largely reversed the course of gradual rapprochement with Cuba initiated under its predecessor Barack Obama and imposed new sanctions.
Last Friday, Washington had already banned US companies from lending planes to Cuban airlines. Cuban state airline Cubana de Aviación was forced to cut flights to Mexico, Venezuela and the Caribbean on Wednesday. Since June, US cruise ships are no longer allowed to head for the island.
