USA resumes mail deliveries to Cuba

The United States Postal Service has resumed direct transportation of mail service with Cuba for the first time in more than fifty years, following a resumption of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Mail deliveries from the USA to Cuba were suspended by President John F Kennedy in 1963, following the Cuban Missile Crisis of the previous year and a heightening of tensions between the USA and the communist rulers in Cuba.

Postmaster General and CEO Megan J. Brennan said: ‘The U.S. Postal Service is pleased to participate in the historic direct transportation of mail service with Cuba. Moving letter mail and package volume directly between our countries will improve service for businesses and consumers.’

The types of mail customers in the U.S. can send to Cuba include First-Class Mail International items, such as postcards and letter size envelopes, First-Class Package International Service items, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.

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Meanwhile, American stamps are set to be cheaper from 10 April following an order from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The 49c stamp will be reduced by 2 cents, postcard rates will drop 1 cent, while international letters will drop by 5 cents. The news may be welcomed by collectors, but the USPS have claimed the move will reduce revenue by ‘approximately $2 billion per year.’

Megan J. Brennan said: ‘The exigent surcharge granted to the Postal Service last year only partially alleviated our extreme multi-year revenue declines resulting from the Great Recession, which exceeded $7 billion in 2009 alone. Removing the surcharge and reducing our prices is an irrational outcome considering the Postal Service’s precarious financial condition.’

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