Despite US Blockade Cuba will Renew Passports

The Cuban Interests Section in Washington announced that it will renew expired passports of Cubans living in the United States who are planning to travel to the island over the next few months.
The legation reiterated that the island hasn’t been able to find a bank based in the U.S. that assumes the accounts of Cuban diplomatic missions “due to regulations derived from the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba.”

The U.S. government has assured on several occasions that it’s working “in an active way” with the Cuban Interests Section to find a new bank, so far, however, unsuccessfully.

As underlined in a communiqué by the Interests Section, it’s a “temporary” measure that will allow for “the creation of conditions in our Consular Office to renew expired passports or soon-to-be expired passports of citizens living in the United States who have reservations to travel to Cuba between May 15 and August 31, 2014.″

The procedure should be carried out through travel agencies having “work bonds” with the Consular Office in Washington, and although it is considered that the measure is temporary until a more lasting solution is found, it points out that the period set “could be extended in case the implementation of the alternative solution takes more time than expected.”