U.S. blockade restricts money orders and parcels service to Cuba

 

HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 6 (ACN) Cuban families are deprived today of a sensitive and necessary service such as the reception of money orders from the United States due to the blockade imposed by that country.

The refusal of the U.S. authorities to sign with Cuba the Postal Payment Services Agreement, sponsored by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal (UPU), limits the right of any person to send financial aid through the international postal money order service to people in Cuba, according to Wilfredo González Vidal, First Deputy Minister of Communications.

In addition to the difficulties and inconveniences that it causes, since many Cubans could meet their needs with this service from the United States, the enterprise Correos de Cuba has failed to collect more than 50 million dollars.

Cuba's arbitrary inclusion in the list of state sponsors of terrorism prevents the U.S. postal service from arranging postal shipments to the island.

As to international money orders, Cuba has operated the service since 2011 thanks to agreements with postal operators in Spain, Chile, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Panama.