US to Allow Cuba Personal Online Services

HAVANA, March 8 – The US government will allow companies in that country to offer Cuba, Iran and Sudan Internet personal services, such as instant messenger service and the exchange of photos, announced an official source cited today by The York Times.  According to the newspaper, the measure seeks a greater opening to information in those societies that Washington considers “closed.”

If these countries actually desire to use US Internet companies is another subject.  In the case of Cuba, to date the island’s government has put it hopes on improving its Internet capacity and services via a fiber optic cable to be laid from Venezuela to Jamaica to Cuba.

Meanwhile, Estados Unidos maintains a nearly half century economic blockade on Cuba and a ban on its citizens from visiting the island without special permission from the US Treasury Dept.