Trump calling on more restrictions with trade, travel to Cuba

People watch a TV screen broadcasting news about the speech of U.S. President Donald Trump at a restaurant in the neighborhood of El Vedado in Havana, Cuba, on June 16, 2017.

Cuban state TV said: "The government of Cuba denounces the new measures toughening the embargo that are destined to fail".

Trump's announcement on Friday in Miami reverses the advances made in the past two years since 2014 when Castro and Obama revealed their decision to restore diplomatic relations and begin the process of normalising bilateral ties.

The policy changes announced were partial, but Trump tightened rules for American nationals traveling to Cuba, banned ties with a military-run tourism firm and reaffirmed the existing U.S. trade embargo.

Noting Trump's speech "laden with hostile rhetoric", Cuba said the events in Miami on Friday constituted a "step backwards in the relations between the two countries".

The Cuban government has withstood the US trade embargo for more than a half century and will not make any political concessions to the United States due to economic pressure, said Carlos Alzugaray, a retired Cuban diplomat.

Americans will not be allowed to conduct any business with anyone or entity linked to the Cuban military or intelligence services.

Branding the Obama administration as one which looked the other way on the Castro regime's human rights violations, Trump said that he, as President, will "expose the crimes of the Castro regime".

Speaking earlier in Miami, Florida, Mr Trump said he was reimposing certain travel and trade restrictions eased by the Obama administration, condemning a "completely one-sided deal". He even visited the country before the historic deal's ink was dry, making him the first sitting USA president to do so in almost 100 years.

The new policy bans most U.S. business transactions with the Armed Forces Business Enterprises Group, a Cuban conglomerate involved in all sectors of the economy, but makes some exceptions, including for air and sea travel, according to U.S. officials.

González and Freyre say neither Americans nor Cubans will know the real effects of Trump's policy until Administration officials work out more detailed regulations. That includes the goal of directing more US money to private Cuban entrepreneurs.

Mexico took a more moderate line, urging Washington and Havana to resolve their differences "via dialogue".

Despite some strong language there will still be some Obama accomplishment left in the order such as the US will continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, keeping embassies open in Havana and Washington.

The White House said the aim is to channel business away from the Cuban military monopoly GAESA, including travel-related transactions, and instead boost direct business with small, private enterprises.

"The new policy makes clear that the primary obstacle to the Cuban people's prosperity and economic freedom is the Cuban military's practice of controlling virtually every profitable sector of the economy". The Cuba market is seen as an untapped opportunity for the cruise industry: unlike airlines, cruise operators bring the hotel and restaraunt capacity for high-end tourism with them when they arrive in underdeveloped locations - a major advantage in Havana.

He added that because of Congressman Steve Scalise, who remains in critical condition from injuries he suffered in the shooting, "our country will perhaps become closer, more unified, so important".

Moran said in a statement that "putting America first means exporting what we produce to countries across the globe".