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Clinton: Trump Violated US Cuba Embargo

Clinton: Trump Violated US Cuba Embargo
Clinton: Trump Violated US Cuba Embargo

US Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, has accused Republican rival Donald Trump of breaking US law by violating an embargo on Cuba.

A report alleges one of his companies tried to do business in the communist nation, AP reported.

Clinton told reporters that Trump's business activities in Cuba during the 1990s proved that he "puts his personal and business interests ahead of the laws and the values and the policies of the United States of America".

Her comments came in response to a report published in "Newsweek" on Thursday. According to the magazine, a hotel and a company controlled by Trump had secretly tried to conduct business with Cuba when dealings with the Caribbean country were illegal under US sanctions.

"Today we learned about his efforts to do business in Cuba which appear to violate US law, certainly flout American foreign policy and he has consistently misled people in responding to questions about whether he was attempting to do business in Cuba," Clinton said.

Citing interviews with former Trump executives, court documents and internal company records, "Newsweek" said the Trump company spent at least $68,000 in 1998 while trying to get a foothold in Cuba. At the time, any corporate expenditure on the island under Fidel Castro's regime was prohibited without US government approval.

Trump's company did not spend the money directly, but instead funneled the cash through an American consulting firm, the report said. It also quoted a former Trump executive as saying a government license was not granted and that Trump was aware the trip had taken place.

Financialtribune.com