A good or bad idea? Under the Obama administration, U.S. softens embargo with Cuba

Over half a century old, the U.S. embargo against Cuba is changed, allows for easier trades and travels.

The relationship between the United States and Cuba will soon change as the Obama administration begins to slowly erase the 1962 U.S. embargo against Cuba. An increased amount of travel and trading between the two countries will open up.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - After a series of secret meetings, culminating with the exchange of imprisoned spies from both countries and the major release of Alan Gross, a U.S. government contractor who had been captured in Cuba for five years, Obama insisted he would and should soften the embargo.

"These 50 years have shown that isolation has not worked," explained Obama.

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Cuba promised to free 53 political prisoners, and prior to the softened embargo, U.S. officials confirmed their release happened. Although, according to Fox News, some of the prisoners still face restriction and are being watched.

With the changes in the current embargo, Americans will be able to use credit cards in Cuba; U.S. companies can export telephone, computer and Internet technologies; small amounts of Cuban cigars are allowed to cross the border; investments in small business are permitted and Americans previously authorized to visit Cuba no longer need to apply for special licenses. They will fall under a U.S. general license.

Those allowed to travel to Cuba include, Americans permitted for family visits, those with official U.S. government business, journalists, people going for educational purposes and those seeking religious activities.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest claims the changes will help "empower the Cuban population to become less dependent upon the state-driven economy, and help facilitate our growing relationship with the Cuban people."

"We firmly believe that allowing increased travel, commerce, and the flow of information to and from Cuba will allow the United States to better advance our interests and improve the lives of ordinary Cubans," he said in a statement in Fox News.

Although the new embargo changes appear to benefit both countries, it has received a split consensus among lawmakers.

"This is a windfall for the Castro regime that will be used to fund its repression against Cubans, as well as its activities against U.S. national interests in Latin America and beyond," Florida Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement in Fox News. "Given existing U.S. laws about our Cuba policy, this slew of regulations leave at least one major question President Obama and his administration have failed to answer so far: what legal authority does he have to enrich the Castro regime in these ways?"

Despite the negative discourse saying it is a "one-sided deal" solely benefiting the Castro regime, the embargo changes will still be implemented.

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Here are some more of the changes to the embargo:

-The elimination of limits on how much money Americans spend in Cuba each day or what they spend it on.

-Permissible use of U.S. credit and debit cards.

-Travel agents and airlines can fly to Cuba without a special license.

-Insurance companies can provide coverage for health, life and travel insurance policies for individuals residing in or visiting Cuba.

-Financial institutions may open accounts at Cuban banks to facilitate authorized transactions.

-Investments can be made in some small businesses and agricultural operations.

-Companies may ship building materials and equipment to private Cuban companies to renovate private buildings.

The U.S. and Cuba will hold migration discussions in Havana as the next step in erasing the embargo and in hopes of reopening the U.S. Embassy in Havana sometime in the future.

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