Data Reference Errors To Media Continue To Inhabit U.S. Department Of State; It's Neither Necessary, Nor Helpful For Credibility
/El Nuevo Herald
Miami, Florida
20 November 2020
Dr. Mara Tekach, Coordinator- Office of Cuban Affairs, United States Department of State:
”“Gracias a los Estados Unidos volúmenes masivos de productos agrícolas, medicinas, equipos médicos y bienes humanitarios llegan a Cuba. Desde 1992 Estados Unidos ha autorizado la exportación de $1,000 millones a Cuba. En 2019 Estados Unidos exportó $3,7 millones de suministros médicos a Cuba para apoyar al pueblo cubano”, dijo Tekach.”
Google Translate: “Thanks to the United States massive volumes of agricultural products, medicines, medical equipment and humanitarian goods arrive in Cuba. Since 1992, the United States has authorized the export of $1 billion to Cuba. In 2019 the United States exported $3.7 million of medical supplies to Cuba to support the Cuban people,” said Tekach.
Uncertain from the Spanish language text as published or the English language Google-created translation if Dr. Tekach was suggesting that the government of the United States had provided (donated) US$1 billion to the Republic of Cuba and suggesting that the government of the United States had provided (donated) US$3.7 million in healthcare products to the Republic of Cuba.
Irrespective of the use of either language versions, the references are incorrect.
First, since December 2001, more than US$6,259,135,008.00 in agricultural commodities and food products have been exported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, on a cash-in-advance basis as required by United States law. Unknown is the source of the data for a value of US$1 billion from 1992 to 2020 referenced by Dr. Tekach.
Second, healthcare product exports from the United States to the Republic of Cuba on a commercial basis in 2019 were US$1,096,505.00 compared to US$3,492,553.00 in 2018. Thus far in 2020, healthcare product exports are US$656,697.00.
The following contains information on exports from the United States to the Republic of Cuba- products within the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000, Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992, and regulations implemented (1992 to present) for other products by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury and Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the United States Department of Commerce.
The TSREEA re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis) export of food products (including branded food products) and agricultural commodities from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, irrespective of purpose. The TSREEA does not include healthcare products, which remain authorized and regulated by the CDA.
HEALTHCARE PRODUCT EXPORTS- Exports of healthcare products (medical equipment, medical instruments, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals) to the Republic of Cuba are subject to provisions of the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992, which require end use-verification, but are not subject to cash-in-advance payment requirements. Exports have included: Medicaments (penicillin and insulin); Dentifrices (toothpastes); Laboratory regents; Ultrasonic scanning equipment; Artificial limbs; Medical appliances; Surgical appliances (dental); Opthalmic (eye); Cannulae (tubing) and gelatin capsules.
HUMANITARIAN DONATIONS- Donated items are neither included in TSREEA nor CDA calculations. These items are generally delivered to the Republic of Cuba using air carriers or containers on vessels; do not include personal deliveries (by travelers on flights and through third countries). A substantial quantity and U.S. Dollar value of items categorized as “humanitarian” are transported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba using air carriers; thus, the information is not documented.
