Cuba to Tax Food Imported by Travelers

HAVANA TIMES — The Cuban government will reinstitute the collection of taxes on food imported by all travelers entering the country, according to a statement from the Customs office.

The announcement indicates that the charging of fees on non-commercial food brought into the country will affect all Cuban passengers — residents as well as non-residents — although an exemption will remain in place on quantities of medicines of less than 10 kilograms of per passenger.

The measure reinstates a temporary exemption from taxes that was applied in the wake of Hurricanes “Gustav,” “Ike” and “Paloma,” which hit the island in 2008 to leave about $10 billion dollars in losses.