U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, co-chair the Regulatory Dialogue arrived in Cuba Monday and toured a newly built port and economic development zone in Mariel.
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“The Cuban president reiterated for Cuba and the United States to be able to have normalized relations, the blockade or embargo that has caused damages and hardships to the Cuban people and affects the interests of American citizens must be lifted and the territory occupied by the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo should be returned to Cuba”, said Rodríguez Parrilla.
On Wednesday, Pritzker is scheduled to chair a meeting between her delegations and representatives of various Cuban ministries and companies, to address the scope and limitations of the measures adopted by US President Barack Obama since January this year to ease certain restrictions against Cuba.
Pritzker, an early supporter of then-candidate Obama and part of the family that created the Hyatt hotel fortune, was to meet with two Cuban ministers and one of its vice-presidents on the second day of her two-day visit.
In Cuba’s Soviet-style economy, Castro has permitted much of agriculture to leave state control and form cooperatives while allowing small private businesses to thrive.
Foreign companies operating in Cuba – joint ventures in their majority – can not hire their personnel directly, but are obliged to do so through a State intermediary. Obama’s measures have been aimed at helping them over the still-dominant state sector.
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U.S. officials will have the opportunity to “describe the recent changes made to rules governing trade, financial transactions and travel with respect to Cuba”, the US Department of Commerce said. Pritzker is the first commerce secretary to visit since 1950.
