Wednesday 3 February 2021

On This Day In 1962: JFK Bans Imports From Cuba


Days later,President Kennedy would buy 1,200 Cuban cigars before authorizing the Cuban trade embargo.

(c) The Atlantic


On This Day In 1962, United States President John F. Kennedy banned all imports from Cuba.

Here is the New York Daily News from 1962 that covered the story:


"(Originally published by the Daily News on Feb. 4, 1962.)

Washington, Feb. 3 (News Bureau). - President Kennedy today formally banned all imports from Cuba in a drastic move to cut down on the dollar income Premier Fidel Castro has been using to export subversion throughout the hemisphere.

"The loss of this income," the President declared, "will reduce the capacity of the Castro regime, intimately linked with the Sino-Soviet bloc, to engage in acts of aggression, subversion or other activities endangering the security of the U.S. and other nations of the hemisphere."

In an official proclamation made public by the White House, the President also continued the ban on American exports to Cuba. He excepted only certain food-stuffs, medicines and medical supplies "on humanitarian grounds."

Kennedy acted less than four days after the Organization of American States officially branded Cuba a member of the Soviet bloc and called for individual action to isolate it from the community of American states.


Blow to Tampa Cigar Trade

New York Daily News Feb. 4, 1962
New York Daily News Feb. 4, 1962

The import crackdown, applying to "all goods of Cuban origin and all imported from or through Cuba," goes into effect at 12:01 A.M. Wednesday. It will strike hardest at Tampa, Fla., cigar manufacturers who account for most of the $3 million in Cuban imports every month.

Rep. William C. Cramer (R-Fla.) declared, however, that the manufacturers are "willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get rid of Castro." They have always insisted that there is no really adequate substitute for Cuban tobacco for fine cigars.

Airlines Will Still Fly

The trade will not apply to airline, communications and similar services which have continued despite the U.S.-Cuban break. As far as the U.S. is concerned for example, Pan American flights bringing Cuban refugees into this country will continue as before.

The final decision was made yesterday after President Kennedy had conferred with Secretary of State Rusk, who led the U.S. delegation to the OAS foreign ministers meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Rusk had hinted at it the day before.

New York Daily News Feb. 4, 1962
New York Daily News Feb. 4, 1962

In his proclamation the President declared he was acting in accordance with the decisions of the Punta del Este meeting.

"The United States, in accordance with its international obligations," the proclamation said, "is prepared to take all necessary actions to promote national and hemispheric security by isolating the present government of Cuba and thereby reducing the threat posed by its alignment with the Communist powers."

The Presidential action will completely cut off Castro's direct supply of dollars. But he still will be able to collect some through his continuing trade with Canada and some other countries.

Rusk appealed Thursday for allied support for the decisions of Punta del Este. Bu Canada already had indicated that it is unlikely to cooperate.

Castro's access to dollars would include payments for labor and supplies at the U.S. Guantanamo naval base, about $10 million a year, about $55 million trade with other non-Communist nations, and a sugar trade pact with Soviet Union.

Under the pact, Russia pays 20% of its cash payment in dollars (much of the trade is by barter), amounting to about $19 million a year."


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