Cuba on Friday condemned the US government’s decision to ban charter flights from America to all Cuban destinations except Havana.
Taking to Twitter, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said, “I strongly reject new US government ban on charter flights to Cuba, except for Havana, and restrictions on their number”.
I strongly reject new #US government ban on charter flights to #Cuba, except for Havana, and restrictions on their number. This is serious violation of human rights and freedom of travel of US citizens and hinders family reunification. #CubaVsBlockade
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) January 10, 2020
He further wrote that it was a “serious violation of human rights and freedom of travel of US citizens and hinders family reunification”.
Earlier on Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the new sanction, saying the move was designed to prevent the Cuban government from making profits from US air travel, which could be used to repress the Cuban people and support Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Earlier in the month, the US State Department announced that it imposed sanctions on Cuban Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Leopoldo Cintra Frias.
The US has toughened its policy towards Cuba with sanctions and isolation, which Havana said showed Washington’s pressure campaign against Venezuela has failed.
Cuba blamed the US government for increasing hostility and applying more than one sanction per week to smother the island’s financial system.
Relations between the US and Cuba have regressed since the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
The two countries resumed their diplomatic relations under the administration of former President Barack Obama.