Torricelli Act
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The Torricelli act also known as The Cuban Democracy Act is another part of the United States' long running blockade against Cuba. The law was enacted in 1992, on an initiative by Robert Torricelli, who was then a member of the United States House of Representatives, and supported by Senator Bob Graham. The act was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush just before the 1992 elections. It was then put into force under President Bill Clinton. The Torricelli Act made the economic blockade on Cuba more severe than it had previously been. It prevented food and medicine from being shipped to Cuba. The only exception was humanitarian aid.
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[edit] Background
The Torricelli act was the first significant change in US Cuban relations since the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, by then-president John F. Kennedy and the subsequent economic blockade and embargo. The Act represents a dramatic aggravation of economic restrictions against Cuba. The original embargo didn't prevent food and medicine sales for the sake of appearing to be different than the Soviet blockade of West Berlin, which the USA heavily condemned at the time. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the comparison no longer prevented the United States from doing the same.[1] The intended goal of the Torricelli act, as described by Torricelli, was to paralyze the Cuban economy, in the hopes that after a few weeks would lead to the fall of of Cuban president Fidel Castro.[2]
[edit] Contents
The Torricelli act forbids American companies, including subsidiaries abroad, from engaging in any trade with Cuba. Foreign ships using American ports were not allowed to travel to Cuban ports for a period of 180 days, in hopes of causing economic collapse. Foreign ships returning from Cuba were also interned. Moreover, it also forbade Cuban families living in the United States from sending any cash remittances to Cuba.[3]
[edit] Effects on Cuba
The Cuban governments call the USA-imposed sanctions a blockade, as the law prohibits Cuba from getting subsidies from the Export-Import Bank or from trading with US companies.
