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Evan Vucci/PA Images

Donald Trump says he's ending Obama's 'one-sided deal' with Cuba

Of course, that’s not the whole truth – in reality he’s restricting travel and trading with Cuba.

US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has vowed to overhaul Barack Obama’s deal to restore ties with Cuba, promising to instead support the Cuban people against their “cruel and brutal” regime.

Trump flew to Miami’s Little Havana, spiritual home of the Cuban-American exile community, to denounce his predecessor’s “one-sided” settlement and vow before a partisan crowd to work for Cuba’s freedom.

In practical terms, Trump’s review of the deal was limited – it does not break diplomatic ties with Raul Castro’s communist regime, but it tightens rules for Americans traveling to Cuba, bans ties with a military-run tourism firm and reaffirms the existing US trade embargo.

“Effective immediately, I am canceling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba,” he declared before a cheering audience of Cuban-Americans at the Manuel Artime Theater in Little Havana.

That may have been overstating his case; a US Treasury statement on Trump’s new measures showed that they mainly relate to stricter enforcement of existing laws that had been loosened as Obama sought a rapprochement.

Cuba Trump A woman walks with her daughter past a mural painting depicting US President Donald Trump in Havana, Cuba. Christine Armario / PA Images Christine Armario / PA Images / PA Images

But they won roars of approval and cries of “Viva Cuba libre!” from the invited crowd of Cuban-Americans and Cuban exiles, including veterans of the ill-fated Brigade 2506, which in 1961 launched the failed US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion to “liberate” the communist-run island.

Our policy will seek a much better deal for the Cuban people and for the United States of America. We do not want US dollars to prop up a military monopoly that exploits and abuses the citizens of Cuba.

“We will not lift sanctions on the Cuban regime until all political prisoners are free,” he said, introducing the crowd to a group of Cuban dissidents who met him at the airport to make the case for more pressure on Castro’s one-party regime.

The new measures prohibit financial transactions with Cuba’s military-backed tourism conglomerate GAESA, a body which might otherwise have hoped for a windfall from a new surge in American visitors.

Run by Castro’s son-in-law Luis Rodriguez Lopez-Callejas, GAESA is involved in joint ventures with several foreign firms that have driven a tourism boom on the island, including the Marriott hotel chain.

Human rights

Cuba is reaching out to the world for foreign investors TNS / ABACA TNS / ABACA / ABACA

Signing a new National Security Presidential Memorandum, Trump announced stricter application of the rules under which Americans can travel to Cuba.

American citizens will still be able to take commercial flights to Cuba, but only for 12 specific reasons – ranging from journalism to educational activities – which will be more tightly enforced.

Cuban-Americans will still be able to travel to Cuba and send remittances, limiting the impact in Florida, where many Cuban emigres settled and where many of them turned out last year to vote for Trump.

Miami’s Cuban-American population has a reputation for diehard anti-communism and an opposition to thawing ties, but in the Little Havana district yesterday, some – even those who had fled oppression – were philosophical about detente.

“Obama did the right thing,” said 77-year-old Manuel Gonzales, who left the island in 2006.

The only person responsible for the embargo was Castro. We have to look forward, not back.

Others were not so forgiving.

Marta Diaz, now 75, left Cuba in 1967 and time has done nothing to dull her anger towards the authoritarian regime. She urged Trump to impose “harsh measures” until the Havana regime falls.

Small businesses

Boosting travel was a key aim of Obama’s painstaking effort to restore ties with Cuba after a half-century chill, which reached a symbolic climax with a visit by the then-president in 2016.

Some 285,000 people visited the Caribbean country in 2016, up 74% over 2015, with Americans the third-biggest group after Canadians and Cuban expats.

“New restrictions on engagement with Cuban economy only pushes Cuba to China and Russia who will gladly make up the difference,” argued former White House official Ben Rhodes, the architect of Obama’s Cuba policy.

“Any limitations on travel hurt Cuban small business owners – restaurants, shops, taxis – that depend on travelers for revenue.”

Engage Cuba, a group lobbying for an end to the embargo, estimates that 10,000 US jobs in aviation and the cruise business already depend on Cuba.

Cuba’s new ambassador to the US, Jose Ramon Cabanas, who re-opened the embassy in Washington last year, tweeted a picture of American tourists ambling through a street market with the ironic message: “Now it is official: these are the new enemies of US Foreign Policy. Watch out!!”

- © AFP, 2017

Read: ‘Los Frikis’: The Cuban punks who deliberately infected themselves with HIV

Read: As Cuba emerges from economic hibernation, opportunity knocks for Irish firms

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    Mute CC
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:20 PM

    Who cares? Serves him right

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:50 PM

    @CC: Should he really have had to resign over this though. Workplace affairs happen everywhere so should they all resign or be sacked

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:55 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: National security, he has access to sensitive information and as they say, loose lips sink ships. If he was under the influence of alcohol he could have spilled the beans on various issues that are meant to remain confidential. He did the right thing by resigning so quickly which is the only redeeming factor in his favour.

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    Mute bmul
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:55 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: it wasn’t the affair is was breaking covid rules when lecturing others

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    Mute CC
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:58 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: yes

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:19 PM

    @bmul: Fair enough.

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:28 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: It was the kiss of death. And it’s what the Brexiteer deserved for his pompous attitude to serve.

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    Mute Breda Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:32 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: A lot more involved than this.

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 27th 2021, 4:12 PM

    @bmul: Somewhat like “Golfgate” but not quite as bad as it was only one politician.

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    Mute Watchful Axe
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    Jun 27th 2021, 6:06 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: Yeah, golfgate was like a stomp down the red carpet flipping the bird with both hands at each side. F u, peasants. This was a fumble in the closet, perfect story for the red top rags over there though.

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    Mute doniekel
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    Jun 27th 2021, 6:21 PM

    @Joe Johnson: he is a remainer funny enough

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    Mute Mickety Dee
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    Jun 27th 2021, 7:58 PM

    @CC: Surely it’s a way bigger story that someone has access to cctv footage of the offices of senior members of the UK cabinet.

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    Mute saoirse janneau
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    Jun 27th 2021, 8:20 PM

    @Mickety Dee: exactly.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jun 27th 2021, 8:30 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: we have a fu(King bar in the Dáil. Not disagreeing with you by the way it’s just always amusing to point that out

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    Mute Dave Allman
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    Jun 28th 2021, 11:52 AM

    @Frank Cauldhame: I do agree with you but using the same logic he should resign for having a wife. He’s more likely to get drunk with her and tell her secrets! Or he used to be

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    Mute Ger
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:56 PM

    Dominic Cummings hiding in the ceiling with his iPhone

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    Mute Mr T
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    Jun 27th 2021, 4:57 PM

    Feel awfully sorry for HandCock’s wife and kids and for Coladangelo’s husband and kids. Having this stuff go public and their names in the press is difficult & stressful.

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    Mute Daniel Bohan
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:30 PM

    It’s obviously morally repugnant, and contrary to all Covid guidance. But angles suggest there was a camera installed in a smoke alarm. The security issue is huge. Is this from Britain or a foreign power? If foreign, then it’s terrifying.

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    Mute Kevin Burke
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:34 PM

    @Daniel Bohan: why terrifying from an Irish perspective? If it is the work of one of any number of foreign powers it’s par for course really. It’s not as if Britain hasn’t a track record in this department.

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    Mute Kevin Burke
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:36 PM
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    Mute Daniel Bohan
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:35 PM

    @Kevin Burke: Oh sorry. Things are only terrifying in Ireland? In that case, check your local handball alley…Insular people like you should check tea mornings in the local bridge club!

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    Mute Declan Joseph Deasy
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    Jun 27th 2021, 4:02 PM

    @Kevin Burke: hope someone is checking our offices

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    Mute Kevin Burke
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    Jun 28th 2021, 3:26 AM

    @Daniel Bohan: you missed my point completely, but ok.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jun 28th 2021, 7:45 AM

    @Kevin Burke: you missed his point too.

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    Mute Mark Doyle
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    Jun 27th 2021, 5:24 PM

    He knowingly sent elderly covid patients from hospital into care homes. He was also found guilty of illegally awarding PPE contracts to chocolate factories while healthcare staff died from a lack of PPE. Tens of thousands died because of his actions, but he resigns for kissing an aide? Doesn’t make sense.

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    Mute DangerousDave
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    Jun 28th 2021, 12:41 AM

    @Mark Doyle: It does make sense chief, he appointment her to a role which hadn’t previously existed (they were friends in college) his dirty plan resulted in him falunting his own guidelines while simultaneously cheating on his wife. He was already in an ominous position to say the least after Dominic Cummings told us all that Boris believes he’s incompetent. He had to go, not that I’m a fan of Leo.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Jun 27th 2021, 4:18 PM

    Varadkar might be willing to help out…A dab hand at leaks is our Leo.

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    Mute Michéal Ó Tuama
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:34 PM

    Tis a lovely day for a spot of schadenfreude

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    Mute Kerry Evans
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    Jun 27th 2021, 6:50 PM

    @Michéal Ó Tuama:
    10/10

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    Mute Theportobello
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:35 PM

    There is no English government. Yes, health is devolved to the nations but it’s still the department of Health for the U.K. It’s PA copy – you only have to write the headline – how do you manage to get it so wrong?

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    Mute Watchful Axe
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    Jun 27th 2021, 6:15 PM

    @Theportobello: Most English consider the Welsh & Scottish as effectively English anyway, lol. And the Welsh/Scots consider Westminster as English. I wouldn’t be so fussed about it.

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    Mute Alex Marquis
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:50 PM

    Definitely nothing to do with a balding Scot who had a a recent falling out with n. 10 then? The lad would make our very own leakmeister extraordinaire look like an amateur in comparison.

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    Mute Mark Murphy
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:47 PM

    He had good grip in that lady’s back door haha bye bye Hancock Hahaha

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    Mute Stephen Walsh
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:58 PM

    There is no such thing as a Government of England, or Health Minister of England etc. Pretty poor journalism. Understandable perhaps on an American website, but they’re our next door neighbours, the Journal’s understanding of their constitutional structure should be better than this.

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    Mute Theportobello
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    Jun 27th 2021, 6:16 PM

    @Stephen Walsh: whoever is writing these is taking PA copy and switching British for English. It’s incorrect and infuriating. Is there no actual editor looking at this stuff?

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:02 PM

    Someone with a grudge I suspect:)

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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:31 PM

    Dirty sod

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    Mute James McErlain
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:19 PM

    @Margaret Kane: are you jealous?

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    Mute Joe ryan
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:35 PM

    The video looked a little staged, camera was moving slightly, unusual for CCTV.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jun 27th 2021, 7:14 PM

    @Joe ryan: somebody using a phone to grab footage from a screen.

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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:36 PM

    Ask Carrie

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    Mute OConnelj
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:50 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: I’d be asking Gina

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    Mute pat seery
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    Jun 27th 2021, 2:55 PM

    The K G B LEAKED IT

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    Mute trebloc01
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    Jun 27th 2021, 3:55 PM

    It could have been worse, hah he been picking his nose

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    Mute Jacqueline berry
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    Jun 27th 2021, 5:33 PM

    They should be investigating something else.

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    Mute Patrick Khan
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    Jun 27th 2021, 8:47 PM

    Our CMO begged the government to cover up the cervical cancer scandel and now lool at him still ruinong careere and livelihoods and gets awards. Pathetic country we live in

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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Jun 27th 2021, 6:31 PM

    #10.

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