US Moves to Shut Down Family Remittances to Cuba
HAVANA TIMES – The US Department of State announced on Wednesday new sanctions against seven Cuban entities, for allegedly using their profits to “oppress the Cuban people and finance their interference in Venezuela,” reported Progreso Semanal.
The Trump administration chose the 89th birthday of Cuba’s supreme leader, Raul Castro, to further tighten the screws on the Havana regime and the Cuban population. According to previous estimates, at least a third of the Cuban population depends in part on remittances from family and friends abroad.
In a press release, the State Department detailed that the seven entities are managed by the Cuban military. Besides the Fincimex financial institution, which funnels remittances, three hotels; two diving centers and a marine park for tourists were also punished.
“Most of the Cuban tourism industry is owned and operated by the Cuban Army. We urge anyone visiting the Island to be a responsible consumer and avoid providing additional funds to Castro’s repressive and abusive regime, “said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
A Western Union representative told Reuters that the leading remittance company is studying the measure and declined to comment at this time.
In response, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called the intensification of the blockade against the Island “shameful” and “criminal”, even more in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. “I strongly reject the sanctions announced by Secretary Pompeo against seven Cuban entities, designed to affect Cuban families,” he tweeted.
Sendvalu is a Swiss Company that works out of Malta for tax purposes, you can send money to an AIS card which takes 6 weeks for your family in Cuba to get due to Cuban inefficiency LOL. After your family have a AIS card, transfers take about a day. Funny how the USA government has no problem with Saudi Arabia’s government but Cuba?
“Castro’s repressive and abusive regime”, said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. This description is more suitable to the U.S.A.!
Curt I want ppl like you to see cubans happy living in a democratic society with multiple choice. Anyway the are 200,000 Cubans in the bottom of the Atlantic they were looking for freedom. 6 decades of misery is enough. You just want cheap mulatos and rum and because u R a tourist being treated like a king.
“Communicate with your elected officials no matter if you are a US citizen or that of another country.”
Very good intention; however, for the country Canada, communicating with elected officials regarding this matter will meet with resistance.
Why? Canada is a strong voice in the Lima Group. What is the Lima Group? That is a group of countries such as Peru, Columbia, Canada, Costa Rica, Brazil, and a few others who oppose Maduro’s unelected, dictatorial government in Venezuela. This Group advocates very publicly for Maduro’s removal and the installing of Guido as Venezuela’s democratic leader. Cuba of course is vehemently opposed to this scenario.
Canadian elected officials particularly the leading Liberals will not publicly voice opposition to the Lima Group’s goals hence leaving any perceived help in this matter towards Cuba – nil.
Opposition parties in our present minority government will not speak out either because they will be perceived as sympathizers with and for dictatorial governments which will limit their re-election intentions.
I agree, U.S. citizens will find other ways to send money to their friends and family skirting the proposed Trump truly, hurtful policy. Some Canadian banks have some branches in the U.S. which perhaps can be used to transfer funds to Cuban citizens. Let’s hope U.S. citizens most effected by this policy will in November 2020 first vote and secondly vote accordingly.
You don’t care that your fellow Cubans starve? You are really pathetic!
Yes!
Wouldn’t this repression of free choice be unconstitutional ?
The Second Amendment means that folks in the USA can spend their money on military style assault weapons. Isn’t there an Amendment to ensure that people have the freedom to spend money in other ways of their own choosing ?
Perhaps not huh ?
I presume that people living in the USA will find various different ways to bypass any federal attempt to repress their freedom of choice in this matter.
There are always ways and means. Those bodies and individuals who facilitate will simply apply a higher commission??
We live in a predominantly capitalist world.
Surely the first ‘law’ of Capitalism is ‘Supply and Demand’.
Whatever it takes to see my country free from the Castros democracy, multi parties elections free press, Yes!
Communicate with your elected officials no matter if you are a US citizen or that of another country. Explain to them how this policy is counter productive because it severs the lifeline that finances and supports much of private enterprise thus restricting Cuban citizens to economically break free of the Cuban government.
While it is easy to sit back, assign blame, and preach to the choir on the internet, that accomplishes nothing other than to make yourself feel good.
Think of the benefit to the Cuban people if US citizens could simply use the internet to transmit funds to family in Cuba in a manner similar to Western Union but through some other country. Remember, we live in a connected world of international commerce and finance.
Can’t argue with that summation!
Repressions on the freedom of people in the USA to make their own decisions and do what they want with their own money.
The Repressive using repression to combat the Repressive ??
Go figure…..