President Barack Obama’s removal of more Cuban trade embargo restrictions Tuesday not only opened up an easier path for travelers to the country, it also means Cuban athletes will have a much easier time playing Major League Baseball and other professional sports.
Cuban citizens are now allowed to earn salaries in the U.S. barring they do not pay special taxes in Cuba. The announcement gave specific mention to this new provision allowing Cuban athletes and entertainers greater freedom to come to the U.S. and earn proper wages. Before this updated provision, Cubans could only make money in the U.S. if they had already begun the process of emigration.
This latest news follows in the wake of reports the MLB was teaming with the U.S. Treasury Department to ensure an simpler and safer path for Cuban baseball players to enter the league.
All of this comes in advance of Obama’s visit to Cuba, which is set to begin Sunday in Havana. While the President is in Cuba he is also expected to attended an exhibition game between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays on March 22.
The Cuban government has yet to offer comment on Tuesday’s announcement, but representatives from the Obama administration praised the measures.
“The simple basis of our policy is that by loosening these restrictions, we are better able to engage with the Cuban people, to support them and to build bridges between our two countries,” deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said. “We deeply believe that this is in America’s national interest.”
You can expect many more Cuban athletes in the MLB in coming years, and fewer horror stories from their journeys getting here.
