*Administration of Barack H. Obama, 2009 *

**Memorandum on Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Cuba **

*April 13, 2009 *

*Memorandum for the Secretary of State[,] the Secretary of the Treasury[, and] the Secretary of Commerce *

*Subject:* Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Cuba

The promotion of democracy and human rights in Cuba is in the national interest of the United States and is a key component of this Nation's foreign policy in the Americas. Measures that decrease dependency of the Cuban people on the Castro regime and that promote contacts between Cuban-Americans and their relatives in Cuba are means to encourage positive change in Cuba. The United States can pursue these goals by facilitating greater contact between separated family members in the United States and Cuba and increasing the flow of remittances and information to the Cuban people.

To pursue those ends, I direct the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to take such actions as necessary to:

(a) Lift restrictions on travel-related transactions for visits to a person's family member who is a national of Cuba by authorizing such transactions by a general license that shall:

(b) Remove restrictions on remittances to a person's family member in Cuba by:

(c) Authorize U.S. telecommunications network providers to enter into agreements to establish fiber-optic cable and satellite telecommunications facilities linking the United States and Cuba.

(d) License U.S. telecommunications service providers to enter into and operate under roaming service agreements with Cuba's telecommunications service providers.

(e) License U.S. satellite radio and satellite television service providers to engage in transactions necessary to provide services to customers in Cuba.

(f) License persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to activate and pay U.S. and third-country service providers for telecommunications, satellite radio, and satellite television services provided to individuals in Cuba, except certain senior Communist Party and Cuban government officials.

(g) Authorize, consistent with national security concerns, the export or reexport to Cuba of donated personal communications devices such as mobile phone systems, computers and software, and satellite receivers through a license exception.

(h) Expand the scope of humanitarian donations eligible for export through license exceptions by:

This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

BARACK OBAMA

*Categories:* Communications to Federal Agencies : Cuba :: Democracy and human rights, efforts to promote, memorandum.

*Names:* Castro Ruz, Raul.

*Subjects:* Cuba : Democracy and human rights issues; Cuba : U.S. policy changes :: Humanitarian donations regulations ; Cuba : U.S. policy changes :: Remittances and communications regulations; Cuba : U.S. policy changes :: Telecommunications and media regulations ; Cuba : U.S. policy changes :: Telecommunications and media regulations; Cuba : U.S. policy changes :: Travel-related transactions regulations.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD200900257.