February 7, 1962 - Cuban Trade Embargo Takes Effect
President Kennedy instates a trade embargo against Cuba after Prime Minister Fidel Castro expropriates U.S. property on the island nation. The hope is that the resulting income loss will weaken the Castro regime. The embargo will be extended in 1963 to prohibit travel and freeze Cuban assets in the U.S. The embargo remains in effect today, making it one of the longest trade embargos in modern times.
Related resources:
- Audio: The Cuban Embargo: Should U.S. Policy Change? (Justice Talking)
- Cuba: What You Need to Know About the U.S. Embargo (U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control) [PDF file]
- International Legal Resources (FindLaw)
