§ 6044. News bureaus in Cuba

(a) Establishment of news bureaus The President is authorized to establish and implement an exchange of news bureaus between the United States and Cuba, if the exchange meets the following conditions:

(1) The exchange is fully reciprocal.

(2) The Cuban Government agrees not to interfere with the establishment of news bureaus or with the movement in Cuba of journalists of any United States-based news organizations, including Radio Marti and Television Marti.

(3) The Cuban Government agrees not to interfere with decisions of United States-based news organizations with respect to individuals assigned to work as journalists in their news bureaus in Cuba.

(4) The Department of the Treasury is able to ensure that only accredited journalists regularly employed with a news gathering organization travel to Cuba under this subsection.

(5) The Cuban Government agrees not to interfere with the transmission of telecommunications signals of news bureaus or with the distribution within Cuba of publications of any United States-based news organization that has a news bureau in Cuba.

(b) Assurance against espionage

In implementing this section, the President shall take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the United States against espionage by Cuban journalists it believes to be working for the intelligence agencies of the Cuban Government.

(c) Fully reciprocal

As used in subsection (a)(1) of this section, the term “fully reciprocal” means that all news services, news organizations, and broadcasting services, including such services or organizations that receive financing, assistance, or other support from a governmental or official source, are permitted to establish and operate a news bureau in the United States and Cuba.

(Pub. L. 104–114, title I, § 114, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 803.)