Western Union today announced that consumers in the U.S. now can send remittances to receipients in Cuba via the Western Union app and online, according to a company press release.

Consumers using wu.com or the mobile app in the U.S. can select the new "Send to Cuba" option to send and track their money transfers until they are paid out in Cuba's local currency at Western Union's network of 420 agent locations throughout the island nation. Western Union is represented across every one of Cuba's 16 provinces and 168 municipalities through its principal agent, Fincimex, according to the announcement.

"Western Union has been helping Cubans in the U.S. to send money to their loved ones back home for more than 15 years," said Odilon Almeida, Western Union president of the Americas and European Union. "Pioneering a new way for our U.S. customers to send money into Cuba via wu.com and our mobile application is yet another milestone in servicing this historic island nation."

Western Union has now enabled consumers in 29 countries to send money transfers to Cuba.