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Marriott, the first US multinational to set up in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, will have to leave the country by the end of August, on the orders of the US authorities, who are tightening sanctions against the communist government.
“Marriott International has been notified by the U.S. Treasury Department that we must stop operating the Four Points Sheraton in Havana, Cuba, by August 31st.” A spokeswoman for the group told AFP on Friday.
In addition, “we will no longer be allowed to open the other hotels in Cuba that we had in preparation.”
The American group was to manage the Inglaterra luxury hotel, in the heart of Havana, which has recently been renovated. “We are not going to manage it,” the spokeswoman added.
Cuba has been under a US embargo since 1962 and, in order to establish themselves on the island, candidate groups must apply for licences from the Treasury.
Marriott thus entered the Cuban market in 2016, “with the permission of the American government” according to its spokesman, at the time of the historic rapprochement between Cuba and the United States under Barack Obama.
“Our operating license was revised and renewed in 2018,” but “we have recently been informed that the government license will not be renewed this time,” “which forces Marriott to cease its operations in Cuba.
Marriott “continues to believe that Cuba is a destination that tourists, including Americans, want to visit“, and the group “looks forward to reopening in Cuba if the US government gives us permission to do business there again“.
Since Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House, the US administration has reversed its policy of détente towards Cuba and is increasing its sanctions against the communist government.
The decision not to renew Marriott’s licence “comes as no surprise,” commented John Kavulich, chairman of the U.S.-Cuban Trade and Economic Council.
“The Trump administration sees the establishment of Marriott in Cuba in the same way as cruise ships (American, authorized by Obama and banned again by Trump last year, editor’s note): an example of the failure of the Obama administration’s policy to change Cuba,” he added.
The latest US sanction to date: on Wednesday the State Department added seven Cuban companies and hotels to its list of sanctioned entities, including the financial company Fincimex, which manages the sending of money to the island by exiled Cubans (the “remesas”), notably via Western Union.
These remesas, estimated by the economist Carlos Mesa-Lago at 3.5 billion dollars in 2017, are a precious support to the daily life of many families, particularly at this time of coronavirus pandemic, which has aggravated food shortages on the island, generating high inflation.
The United States focuses its criticism of the Cuban government on two issues: human rights and support for the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
For its part, the Cuban government denies the existence of political prisoners on its soil, estimated at around 100 by several NGOs, and denies any military presence in Venezuela.
A re-election of Trump in November would be “the worst” scenario for relations with Cuba, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, director-general of the US department at the Cuban foreign ministry, recently told AFP.
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Marriott, the first US multinational to set up in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, will have to leave the country by the end of August, on the orders of the US authorities, who are tightening sanctions against the communist government.
“Marriott International has been notified by the U.S. Treasury Department that we must stop operating the Four Points Sheraton in Havana, Cuba, by August 31st.” A spokeswoman for the group told AFP on Friday.
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Marriott, the first US multinational to set up in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, will have to leave the country by the end of August, on the orders of the US authorities, who are tightening sanctions against the communist government.
“Marriott International has been notified by the U.S. Treasury Department that we must stop operating the Four Points Sheraton in Havana, Cuba, by August 31st.” A spokeswoman for the group told AFP on Friday.
In addition, “we will no longer be allowed to open the other hotels in Cuba that we had in preparation.“[/vc_column_text][vc_cta h2=”This article is for subscribers only.” h2_font_container=”font_size:16″ h2_use_theme_fonts=”yes” h4=”Subscribe now!” h4_font_container=”font_size:32|line_height:bas” h4_use_theme_fonts=”yes” txt_align=”center” color=”black” add_button=”right” btn_title=”I SUBSCRIBE!” btn_color=”danger” btn_size=”lg” btn_align=”center” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” use_custom_fonts_h4=”true” btn_button_block=”true” btn_custom_onclick=”true”]Unlimited access to all the articles and live a new reading experience, preview contents, exclusive newsletters…
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