• Submitted by: manso
• Politics and Government
• 03 / 19 / 2011

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PRESIDENT Barack Obama has requested an increase in funds for his government’s operations against Cuba for fiscal year 2012, Prensa Latina highlights.

The total of the money publicly requested from Congress by the White House to finance its anti-Cuba policies during 2012 increases to $62.24 million the combined budget for the U.S. Interest Section in Havana (USIS), the State Department Office of Cuban Affairs (OCA), USAID and Radio/TV Martí.

This request has been made despite the economic crisis hovering over the United States and the U.S. administration’s budget deficit, which it is currently trying to alleviate via social spending cuts.

The federal budget bill for the period, beginning September 1, 2011, increases the money allocated to these operations by more than four million dollars compared to that of 2010-2011.

The cubamoneyproject.org website stated that the money is aimed at strengthening the work of the USIS and the OCA, which directs policy toward the island from the State Department in Washington, and includes funds to support Radio and TV Martí.

Source: www.granma.cu/ingles/cuba-i/17marzo-Obama requests.htm