Contributor In early November last year, Maribel Oliver heard the sad news that a friend of hers back in Cuba had died. The 57-year old, who emigrated to the US 15 years ago and now lives in Texas, immediately got together with another friend to send money to help the family. It took just a few hours for their 100 US dollar remittance to reach the deceased's family via Western Union, well in time to help pay for the funeral expenses. But changes to the law introduced by former president Donald Trump just days later have effectively cut Cubans like Oliver off from their friends and relatives back home, leaving them unable to supply the remittances that have long formed a crucial part of the island’s economy.