Cuba Interrupts Consular Services in USA
HAVANA TIMES — Cuba announced a new and immediate suspension of its consular services in the United States for an indefinite period, faced with the “impossibility” of finding a bank to service the accounts of its diplomatic mission in Washington D.C.
“The Cuban Interests Section is forced to suspend consular services as of the date of publication of this notice, until banking services are restored,” announced today the Cuban diplomatic mission in Washington in a statement.
Cuba already had to suspend consular services last November because its bank decided to stop providing services to diplomatic missions and the Interests Section could not find a new financial entity to carry its accounts.
However, faced with an uproar over the news, coming ??shortly before Christmas, a time of many family visits and tourist traffic to the island, the bank announced an extension and Cuba could reopen for consular services in early December on a temporary basis, until now.
The new closing comes despite the extra time as “it has been impossible for the Interests Section to find a bank based in the United States to assume the bank accounts of the Cuban diplomatic missions,” blaming “the restrictions derived from the policy of economic , commercial and financial blockade against Cuba by the US government.”
In its official statement, Cuba said it “regrets” the situation and “negative consequences for family visits, academic, cultural, educational, scientific, sports and any other exchanges between Cuba and the US.”
This week, the US State Department reiterated that since it knew of the situation it has been working “actively” with the Cuban Interests Section to find a new bank.
Apparently “more than 50 banks” were contacted and some are still “studying the request” to provide services to the Cuban legation, yet the State Dept. recognized there is no guarantee a new contract will take place before the current entity definitely closes the Cuban Interests Section accounts on March 1st.
One idea would be to sell the visas in Cuba at the airport. Did anyone think of that? Is there any solution being worked on for family and cultural travel? Thank you
can you provide a link to the press release you refer to Moses Patterson?
The State Department issued a press release yesterday announcing that a solution has be provided to the Cubans. However, for propaganda purposes, the Castros instead refused the solution and are choosing to try to milk this issue for political gain. This is typical behavior.
How about actually dealing with the issue for once. How is the decision of a bank in the US under the control of the Castro regime?
It may not have occurred to you, but the Castro regime does tell their diplomats in Washington what to do. This is not a conspiracy, it’s the normal procedure.
Maybe the Castro “government” should have had a little more foresight than to smuggle arms to the North Korean! You have to face consequences for your actions!
Not everything is a conspiricy. It was the bank that stopped providing services and no other bank has been found that will do this. How is that in the control of the Castros?
This is nothing more than a shrewd attempt by the Castros to create a little pain in the exile community to foment controversy and press the US towards relaxing US embargo restrictions.