United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced new sanctions on Cuba restricting imports of Cuban rum and cigars and banning Americans from staying at properties owned by the Cuban government.
The move comes as Trump is trying to lock in the Cuban American vote in the key battleground state of Florida before the November 3 presidential election.
Trump won Florida in 2016 by just 1.2 percentage points.
“Today, as part of our continuing fight against communist oppression, I am announcing that the Treasury Department will prohibit US travellers from staying at properties owned by the Cuban government,” Trump said at a White House event on Wednesday.
“We’re also further restricting the importation of alcohol and Cuban tobacco,” Trump said during a ceremony honouring Bay of Pigs veterans and commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Mariel boatlift that brought 120,000 Cubans to Miami.
Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has sought to unwind a detente with Cuba pursued by his Democratic predecessor, President Barack Obama.
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