Americans making travel plans to Cuba may want to make room for some extra souvenirs to bring home through customs. Starting today, Americans traveling to Cuba will now be legally allowed to bring home Cuban cigars and rum. President Barack Obama has lifted the restrictions on Cuban rum and cigars, which will go into effect starting Monday.
Those traveling to Cuba will be allowed to purchase as much as they want, so long as it is for personal consumption and not for commercial purposes. So you still need to make the trip to Cuba yourself if you want to enjoy either product, because you will not be able to place an order online (legally). This move is just the latest under the Obama administration to warm the former Cold War rivals as the relationship between the United States and Cuba improve before he leaves the Oval Office in January.
“Challenges remain — and very real differences between our governments persist on issues of democracy and human rights — but I believe that engagement is the best way to address those differences and make progress on behalf of our interests and values,” Obama said. “The progress of the last two years, bolstered by today’s action, should remind the world of what’s possible when we look to the future together.”
There was more to the latest decisions from the White House, including the ability for Cuban drugs to receive approval form the United States Food and Drug Administration and U.S. companies can begin working in Cuba to develop an air defense system. Also, Cubans can now purchase American-made goods online where internet access is available.
It’s hard to believe this would have been possible just 10 years ago, never mind decades ago. At least we know Kramer won’t have to rely on Dominicans to make his Cuban cigars anymore.
