New Delhi, Aug. 3 -- In an effort to fend off a mounting humanitarian crisis, Cuba on Wednesday eased up on longtime restrictions on private vendors and imports, opening up a sector firmly controlled by the Communist-led government.

The reforms would allow for the import and resale of some goods and medicines from other countries, loosen restrictions on oil extraction for foreign companies and implement other changes at a time when the country is plagued by medical and energy shortages.

While private enterprise has slowly opened in recent years, many sales on the country's informal market have long existed in a gray area - not technically legal but widely used by Cubans struggling to survive the day-to-day hardships.

The measures, whic...