Obama phones Cuban President Castro

Since then, Havana and Washington have restored diplomatic ties and travel from the U.S.to Cuba has jumped.

Despite the resumption of ties, Havana and Washington continue to have outstanding grievances.

Obama has used his executive powers to relax some US travel and trade restrictions, but the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has stymied his attempts to end the wider embargo.

Critics of Obama’s detente slammed the move as another reward to Cuba with no corresponding concessions from Havana, especially on the human rights front. “The two presidents commended the role that Pope Francis has played in advancing relations between our countries”.

“When we receive word from the president and Congress that the embargo has been officially lifted, we will look forward to being a major gateway for people and cargo, to and from Cuba, for years to come”, said Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay president and CEO. Easing the embargo on Cuba, he said, will “support the Cuban people in their effort to achieve the political and economic freedom necessary to build a democratic, prosperous and stable Cuba”.

The White House confirmed Mr Cabanas’ status in a brief statement, naming 16 newly-accredited envoys. Some USA corporate executives have also been wary of the risks of doing business in Cuba.

Certain limitations will apply, related to payments from prohibited Cuban Government or Cuban Communist Party officials.

The process began publicly when President Obama and President Castro announced simultaneously that they planned to set a new course on US-Cuba relations.

Critics assailed Obama for trying to gut the embargo by boosting USA business in Cuba.

But efforts to expand business, tourism and other exchanges have run into an overlapping thicket of United States laws and hindrances, not to mention an uneven response from Cuba’s political leaders, the U.S. official said. They also permit USA companies to open offices in Cuba.

And they clarify that those authorized to open offices and businesses in Cuba include U.S. exporters of permitted goods like farm products and construction materials; providers of telecommunications and Internet services; news bureaus; and education and religious groups. Also as part of the most recent package of changes is the removal of the cap on the amount of money that can be brought to the Island and a further easing of travel restrictions, though Americans still cannot travel to Cuba strictly as tourists.