Background Of President-elect Biden's Nominee For Deputy Secretary Of The Treasury Has Obama Administration Connectivity

A political connectivity to the Obama Administration may prove beneficial to United States-based companies who seek approvals from the United States Department of the Treasury for transactions relating to the Republic of Cuba.

LINK To Previous Post U.S. Secretary Of The Treasury Janet Yellen's OFAC Will Be Guided By The White House And State Department Nov 24, 2020

Ademale “Wally” Adeyemo
39 Years Of Age
Birthplace: Nigeria

Will Be Nominated: 2021
United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury
§301. Department of the Treasury:(a) The Department of the Treasury is an executive department of the United States Government at the seat of the Government. (b) The head of the Department is the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (c) The Department has a Deputy Secretary of the Treasury appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Deputy Secretary shall carry out- (1) duties and powers prescribed by the Secretary; and (2) the duties and powers of the Secretary when the Secretary is absent or unable to serve or when the office of Secretary is vacant.

From United States Department of the Treasury: "The Deputy Secretary of the Treasury is the second-highest-ranking official in the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, the Deputy Secretary advises the Secretary on formulating and enacting policy through the Treasury Department. The Deputy Secretary may also oversee activities of the Treasury Department and any other duties delegated by the Secretary. The Deputy Secretary along with the Secretary are the only Treasury officials who may sign Treasury Orders, which delegate authority to other senior Treasury officials and establish departmental policy. The current Deputy Secretary of the Treasury is Justin Muzinich who assumed office on December 12, 2018."

From Mr. Adeyemo’s Profile On LinkedIn:

President
Obama Foundation Full-time
Dates Employed Aug 2019 – Present
Employment Duration 1 yr 4 mos
Location Chicago, Illinois, United States

Our Mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. That mission begins at home, on the South Side of Chicago, where we are building the Obama Presidential Center. But it extends to all our work, whether it's holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity.

Non-Resident Fellow
New York University School of Law
Dates Employed Oct 2018 – Present
Employment Duration 2 yrs 2 mos

Senior Advisor
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Dates Employed Mar 2017 – Present
Employment Duration 3 yrs 9 mos

Senior Advisor
BlackRock Full-time
Dates Employed Jun 2017 – Aug 2019
Employment Duration 2 yrs 3 mos
Location New York, New York, United States

Provided macroeconomic and geopolitical advice to BlackRock portfolio managers and clients. Served as interim chief of staff to Larry Fink, CEO and Chairman.

Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
National Security Council, The White House Full-time
Dates Employed Sep 2015 – Jan 2017
Employment Duration 1 yr 5 mos
Location Washington, United States

Served as President Obama’s international economic advisor and the President’s representative to the G-20 and G-7

Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor
U.S. Department of the Treasury Full-time
Dates Employed Oct 2011 – Sep 2015
Employment Duration 4 yrs
Location Washington, United States

Chief Of Staff
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Full-time
Dates Employed Aug 2010 – Oct 2011
Employment Duration 1 yr 3 mos
Location Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Deputy Executive Secretary
U.S. Department of the Treasury Full-time
Dates Employed Feb 2009 – Jul 2010
Employment Duration 1 yr 6 mos
Location Washington, District of Columbia, United States

[Some Of] What Incoming National Security Advisor Believes- Those Beliefs Will Impact Cuba And Venezuela

Mr. Jake Sullivan (44 years of age) has been designated by President-elect Joseph Biden as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs with the tenure to commence on 20 January 2021.

Politico
Washington DC
27 November 2020
By Natasha Bertrand

Excerpts: ““Unlike the policy of the last few years, we will be able to rally the rest of the world behind us” on key foreign policy and national security issues, such as pressuring Iran to come back into compliance with the nuclear deal so that the U.S. can reenter negotiations, Sullivan said. He is similarly optimistic about one of his loftiest goals: “to rally our allies to combat corruption and kleptocracy, and to hold systems of authoritarian capitalism accountable for greater transparency and participation in a rules-based system.” That effort will need to begin at home- as has been well documented, the world’s kleptocratic regimes depend heavily on money laundering networks that commonly extend into Western centers of global finance like New York and London, aided by lax incorporation rules in places like Delaware.”

Those expecting a return to Obama Administration policies relating to the Republic of Cuba and Venezuela may find a Biden Administration has nearer similarity with messaging from the [H.W.] Bush Administration and Clinton Administration. The Biden Administration will be revisionist rather than return full-scale to the bilateral commercial, economic, and political relationship between the United States and the Republic of Cuba existing on 19 January 2017. The background of Mr. Sullivan’s spouse provides further insight to Mr. Sullivan- a focus upon democracy and human rights.

Mr. Sullivan’s spouse: “Margaret Goodlander was an advisor for national security and foreign affairs to Senator Joseph Lieberman and a professional staffer on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She previously served as the senior speechwriter for Senator Lieberman and later as a senior policy advisor to Senator John McCain. An intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Maggie graduated with distinction from Yale University in May 2009 with a degree in History. At Yale, she undertook several research fellowships in the Middle East, including in Libya, Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon. She previously worked at the Council on Foreign Relations, for Congressman Tom Lantos, and at the Yale University Investments Office. Maggie was born and raised in New Hampshire and is writing a biography of Daniel Webster.”

Add to the statements from Mr. Sullivan to Politico, the Trump Administration decision on 12 November 2020 to prohibit individuals subject to United States jurisdiction from investing in military-controlled companies in the People’s Republic of China will impact the ability of the Biden Administration to alter the Trump Administration’s 2017 policy changes which prohibit individuals subject to United States jurisdiction from engagement with companies controlled by the military in the Republic of Cuba.

With the addition of the People’s Republic of China, the Trump Administration has created a sustainable and transferable and non-Republic of Cuba-centric narrative which will be challenging for the Biden Administration to change without impactful bipartisan criticism from members of the United States Congress.

With the political party divisions narrow in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, there will be little incentive for the Biden Administration to be perceived as “supporting military control of the China and Cuba economies.”

The Trump Administration’s message to the Biden Administration is separating the military from control of country economies is not being punitive, it’s about who would, and who should a United States company want to engage- with a general or with a civilian.

While United States companies would prefer to self-determine whether to engage with military-controlled companies in the Republic of Cuba, executives from United States companies will not be engaging publicly to oppose Trump Administration policy as it transforms into Biden Administration policy.

The White House
Washington DC
12 November 2020

EXECUTIVE ORDER 13959
ADDRESSING THE THREAT FROM SECURITIES INVESTMENTS THAT FINANCE COMMUNIST CHINESE MILITARY COMPANIES

Excerpts

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the People's Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas, including by developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction, advanced conventional weapons, and malicious cyber-enabled actions against the United States and its people. I therefore further find that the PRC's military-industrial complex, by directly supporting the efforts of the PRC's military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. To protect the United States homeland and the American people, I hereby declare a national emergency with respect to this threat.

The White House
Washington DC
16 June 2017

Fact Sheet On Cuba Policy
Summary of Key Policy Changes:
Excerpts

The new policy channels economic activities away from the Cuban military monopoly, Grupo de Administración Empresarial (GAESA), including most travel-related transactions, while allowing American individuals and entities to develop economic ties to the private, small business sector in Cuba. The new policy makes clear that the primary obstacle to the Cuban people’s prosperity and economic freedom is the Cuban military’s practice of controlling virtually every profitable sector of the economy. President Trump’s policy changes will encourage American commerce with free Cuban businesses and pressure the Cuban government to allow the Cuban people to expand the private sector.

LINK To Previous Post

Cuba Central Bank May Provide Option For Western Union To Continue Services To Cuba: REDSA

UPDATE: On 26 November 2020, the Central Bank of the Republic of Cuba published using Twitter the following statement, which suggests a contradiction to its previous decisions:

Banco Central de Cuba
@BancoCentralCub
Nov 26
Se amplían las facultades a FINCIMEX y @redsaCuba, como preparación al http://futuro. Se ratifica que FINCIMEX es la única entidad que ofrecerá servicio de remesas desde el exterior, efectuando un pago eficiente y seguro. #BancariosCubanos @DiazCanelB @marta_wilson

Google Translate: Central Bank of Cuba @BancoCentralCub · Nov 26 The powers are extended to FINCIMEX and @redsaCuba, in preparation for the future. It is ratified that FINCIMEX is the only entity that will offer remittance services from abroad, making an efficient and secure payment. #BancariosCubanos @DiazCanelB @marta_wilson

LINK To Gaceta Oficial Notification

By Periódico Cubano [LINK To Article]
Hialeah, Florida
25 November 2020

Google Translate:

Central Bank moves token for the return of Western Union to Cuba
A new resolution cancels Fincimex's license to operate remittances that enter the Island

The Cuban government began to "move the tab" to allow Western Union to return to Cuba by enabling another entity other than Fincimex to serve as a partner to the US transnational in the business of remittances to the island. In the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba a resolution of the Central Bank of Cuba was published where it cancels the license of Financiera Cimex, S.A. (Fincimex) and grants a new one that regulates the activities of non-bank financial institutions can perform.

However, it is specifically mentioned that the only exception that is not allowed is that of “collecting deposits”. Central Bank moves token for the return of Western Union to Cuba Western Union has more than 400 points in Cuba. (Photo: Cuban newspaper) Said “capture” seems to be directed towards the entity Servicios de Pago Red S.A. (REDSA), which “requested” a revision of its license to include among its activities the management and processing of family remittances from abroad to Cuba. REDSA is the institution in charge of managing the Cuban ATM network and personalizing RED plastic cards and matrix cards under the RED brand.

Now this entity has a period of 30 days to adapt its system to the new functions granted by the Central Bank. In this way, the Cuban government moves token to remove Fincimex, an entity controlled by the military from the Business Administration Group (GAESA) led by Raúl Castro's former son-in-law, Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, from the remittances. With the placement of a civil entity such as REDSA, they would be paving the way for a reestablishment of the remittance business to Cuba through Western Union. But, can it be said that REDSA has no ties with the military when everything in Cuba is controlled by the ruling leadership permeated by military leaders?

The answer seems to be obvious, but the Cuban authorities are betting that although the Joe Biden administration will not be able to remove Fincimex from the OFAC blacklist, it will also do nothing to place REDSA on the same list and then it could be resumed. starting in January the business of remittances to Cuba. The closure of Western Union will bring "unimaginable variants" for remittances to Cuba. This past Sunday, November 22, the end of the operations of the transnational money transfer company Western Union was completed, which for more than 20 years offered the remittance delivery service in Cuba. Faced with such a scenario, Cuban economist Omar Everleny Pérez offered an interview for the AP press agency where he warns of the negative impact of the absence of this formal way to send remittances to Cuba from the US, but affirmed that other "unimaginable variants" will surely emerge.

By Periódico Cubano [LINK To Article]
Hialeah, Florida
25 noviembre, 2020

Banco Central mueve ficha para el regreso de Western Union a Cuba
Una nueva resolución cancela la licencia de Fincimex para operar las remesas que entran en la Isla

El gobierno cubano comenzó a “mover ficha” para permitir el regreso de Western Union a Cuba mediante la habilitación de otra entidad que no sea Fincimex para que sirva de socio a la trasnacional estadounidense en el negocio de las remesas a la isla. En la Gaceta Oficial de la República Cuba se publicó una resolución del Banco Central de Cuba donde cancela la licencia de la Financiera Cimex, S.A. (Fincimex) y otorga una nueva que regula las actividades de las instituciones financieras no bancarias pueden realizar. Sin embargo, se alude específicamente que la única excepción que no está permitida es la de “captación de depósitos”.

Dicha “captación” parece estar encaminada hacia la entidad Servicios de Pago Red S.A.(REDSA), la cual “solicitó” una revisión de su licencia para incluir entre sus actividades la gestión y trámite de remesas familiares desde el extranjero hacia Cuba. REDSA es la institución encargada de la administración de la red de cajeros automáticos de Cuba y personalización de tarjetas plásticas RED y matriciales bajo la marca RED. Ahora esta entidad dispone de un plazo de 30 día para adecuar su sistema a la s nuevas funciones otorgadas por el Banco Central.

De esta forma el gobierno cubano mueve ficha para quitar del medio de las remesas a Fincimex, una entidad controlada por los militares del Grupo de Administración empresarial (GAESA) dirigida por el ex yerno de Raúl Castro, Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas. Con la colocación de una entidad civil como REDSA estarían facilitando el camino para un restablecimiento del negocio de las remesas a Cuba por medio de Western Union. Pero, ¿se puede afirmar que REDSA no tiene vínculos con los militares cuando en Cuba todo está controlado por la cúpula gobernante permeada de mandos castrenses? La respuesta parece ser obvia, pero las autoridades cubanas apuestan a que si bien la administración de Joe Biden no podrá sacar a Fincimex de la lista negra de la OFAC, tampoco hará nada para colocar a REDSA en la misma lista y entonces se pudiera reanudar a partir de enero el negocio de las remesas a Cuba.

Este pasado domingo 22 de noviembre se concretó el fin de las operaciones de la transnacional de envío de dinero Western Union que por más de 20 años ofreció el servicio de entrega de remesas en Cuba. Ante tal escenario el economista cubano Omar Everleny Pérez ofreció una entrevista para la agencia de prensa AP donde advierte el impacto negativo de la ausencia de esta vía formal para enviar remesas a Cuba desde EEUU, pero afirmó que de seguro surgirán otras “variantes inimaginables."

Gazeta Oficial de la Republica de Cuba [LINK To Gaceta Oficial Notification]
Ministry of Justice
Havana, Republic of Cuba
23 October 2020

BANCO CENTRAL DE CUBA
GOC-2020-14-EX3
RESOLUTION No. 4 2020

Google Translate:

WHEREAS: Resolution No. 80 of October 23, 2004 of the Minister President of the Central Bank of Cuba, in Article 6, provided that bank accounts opened in US dollars by individuals before the entry into force of the aforementioned legal provision can receive funds through bank transfers in any freely convertible currency, as well as receive cash deposits in convertible pesos, euros, Canadian dollars, British pounds and Swiss francs, except cash deposits in United States dollars.

WHEREAS: In article 7 of the aforementioned Resolution No. 80 of 2004, it was established that as of November 8, a period that was later extended to November 14, those who wish to open accounts in US dollars could do so, but in Those new accounts would only allow cash deposits and withdrawals in US dollars.

WHEREAS: Resolution No. 275 of October 15, 2019, of the Minister President of the Central Bank of Cuba, provided that the bank accounts of natural persons receive funds through bank transfers from abroad in any freely convertible currency; bank transfers from other accounts in freely convertible currency that operate in Cuban banks; FINCIMEX S.A. transfers for remittances, and cash deposits in US dollars, euros, pounds sterling, Canadian dollars, Swiss francs, Mexican pesos, Danish crowns, Norwegian crowns, Swedish crowns and Japanese yen.

WHEREAS: The resurgence of the genocidal economic, commercial and financial blockade of the Government of the United States of America against the Cuban people confirms the validity of the grounds expressed in Resolution No. 80 of 2004 that served as the basis for the application of the tax on the 10% to cash operations with US dollars.

WHEREAS: It is necessary to unify the treatment of bank accounts in US dollars opened by natural persons before Resolution No. 80 of 2004 and after its entry into force, and those authorized under the Resolution No. 275 of 2019 of the Central Bank of Cuba.

THEREFORE: In the exercise of the attributions conferred in article 25, paragraph d), of Decree-Law No. 361 “Of the Central Bank of Cuba”, of September 14, 2018,

RESUELVO

PRIMERO: As of the entry into force of this Resolution, bank accounts in US dollars opened by natural persons before Resolution No. 80 of October 23, 2004 and after its entry into force, may receive cash deposits in US dollars and the 10% tax is applied. These bank accounts accept in freely convertible currencies recognized in the country, as well as cash deposits, bank transfers from abroad, remittances and bank transfers from other accounts opened in Cuban banks. In the case of transfers, the 10% tax is not applied. Likewise, cash may be withdrawn in convertible pesos, Cuban pesos or in freely convertible currency at the client's choice, at the corresponding exchange rate. Balances of the bank accounts referred to in the previous section may be transferred by their holder to the bank accounts in US dollars authorized for retail sales in foreign currency, based on the provisions of Resolution No. 275, of October 15, 2019, of the minister president of the Central Bank of Cuba.

SPECIAL UNIQUE DISPOSITION

The application of the 10% tax to cash deposits of US dollars in bank accounts opened in that currency is still in force under Resolution No. 275 of October 15, 2019.

FINAL DISPOSITION

FIRST: Articles 6 and 7 of Resolution No. 80 of October 23 of the Minister President of the Central Bank of Cuba are repealed.

SECOND: This Resolution enters into force after ten (10) days after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba.

TAKE ACCOUNT to the Secretary of the Council of Ministers.

LET IT BE PUBLISHED in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba, the original

LET IT BE PUBLISHED in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba, and the original be Filed in the Secretariat of the Central Bank of Cuba DADA in Havana, on the eighth day of January, two thousand and twenty.

Marta Sabina Wilson Gonzalez
Minister President
Central Bank of Cuba

Servicios de Pago Red S.A. [LINK To Profile]
Havana, Republic of Cuba

Google Translate

Servicios de Pago Red S.A. (REDSA): It was established by Deed of Incorporation of the Public Limited Company No. 36/2009 dated January 28, 2010 issued by the Special Notary of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Cuba. The Central Bank of Cuba, through Resolution No. 100 of December 21, 2009 authorized its creation in order to manage and administer the network of ATMs, as well as the processing of RED and non-RED Debit Card Operations. The organizational changes made in the institution, made it necessary to proceed to modify the specific License through Resolution 69/2011. The entity began its operations on March 5, 2010 and since then its Financial Statements have been audited by the independent auditing firm Centro Internacional de La Habana, with a satisfactory evaluation.

REDSA is empowered to carry out the following activities: - Administer, control and manage the ATM network and its control software. - Carry out the necessary processes for interbank clearing of operations carried out through the Automatic Teller Machine Control Center (CCCA). - Serve as a plastic card processing center, in accordance with the provisions of Resolution No. 64 "Rules for the issuance and operation of plastic cards as a means of payment", dated July 9, 1999, established by the Minister President of the Central Bank of Cuba. - Process and send the reconciliation of RED cards to national issuing banks. - Process and send the reconciliation of non-RED cards to the acquiring banks. - Representing RED card issuers before other acquiring networks, guaranteeing access to them. - Represent the RED acquiring institutions before other national and international issuers, guaranteeing access to them. - Personalize the cards of the issuing banks, with their respective pins. - Issue the tables and other information required by the member banks of the RED system. - Address claims for ATM operations of issuing banks, Financiera Cimex S.A and other national and international issuers. - Design and install ATM networks. - Dictate the procedures that link the CCCA with the institutions authorized to issue RED cards and guarantee their compliance. - Guarantee compliance with the international standards for the card payment industry throughout the RED system. - Guarantee compliance with the security measures established by the card issuers with whom they have a relationship. - Guarantee the inviolability of the information processed in the Automatic Teller Machine.

Control Center. The development of its activity is fundamentally reflected in the work carried out by the Management of the ATM Control Center, guaranteeing greater support for the administration, control and management of the ATM network and control software, as well as the technical service offered.

Servicios de Pago Red S.A. [LINK To Profile]
Havana, Republic of Cuba

Servicios de Pago Red S.A.(REDSA): Fue constituida mediante Escritura de Constitución de Sociedad Anónima No. 36/2009 de fecha 28 de enero de 2010 emitida por la Notaría Especial del Ministerio de Justicia de la República de Cuba. El Banco Central de Cuba, mediante Resolución No. 100 del 21 de diciembre de 2009 autorizó su creación con la finalidad de gestionar y administrar la red de Cajeros Automáticos, así como la tramitación de Operaciones de Tarjetas de Débito RED y no RED. Los cambios organizativos realizados en la institución, hizo necesario proceder a modificar la Licencia específica mediante la Resolución 69/2011. La entidad comenzó sus operaciones el 5 de marzo de 2010 y desde entonces sus Estados Financieros han sido auditados por la firma de auditores independientes Centro Internacional de La Habana, con evaluación de satisfactoria. REDSA está facultada a ejercer las siguientes actividades:

- Administrar, controlar y gestionar la red de cajeros automáticos y su software de control.
- Realizar los procesos necesarios para la compensación interbancaria de las operaciones que se realicen a través del Centro de Control de Cajeros Automáticos (CCCA).
- Fungir como centro de procesamiento de tarjetas plásticas, de acuerdo con lo estipulado en la Resolución No. 64 "Reglas para la emisión y operación de tarjetas plásticas como medio de pago", de 9 de julio de 1999, dispuesta por el ministro presidente del Banco Central de Cuba.
- Procesar y enviar la conciliación de las tarjetas RED a los bancos emisores nacionales.
- Procesar y enviar la conciliación de tarjetas no RED a los bancos adquirientes.
- Representar a los emisores de tarjetas RED ante otras redes adquirentes, garantizando el acceso a las mismas.
- Representar a las instituciones adquirentes RED ante otros emisores nacionales e internacionales, garantizando el acceso a las mismas.
- Personalizar las tarjetas de los bancos emisores, con sus respectivos pines.
- Emitir las tablas y demás informaciones requeridas por los bancos miembros del sistema RED.
- Atender las reclamaciones de operaciones en cajeros automáticos de los bancos emisores, Financiera Cimex S.A y otros emisores nacionales e internacionales.
- Proyectar e instalar las redes de cajeros automáticos.
- Dictar los procedimientos que vinculan al CCCA con las instituciones autorizadas a emitir tarjetas RED y garantizar su cumplimiento.
- Garantizar en todo el sistema RED el cumplimiento de las normas internacionales para la industria de pago con tarjetas.
- Garantizar el cumplimiento de las medidas de seguridad que establezcan los emisores de tarjetas con quienes se tengan relación.
- Garantizar la inviolabilidad de la información que se procesa en el Centro de Control de Cajeros Automáticos.

El desarrollo de su actividad se refleja fundamentalmente en el trabajo desplegado por la Dirección del Centro de Control de Cajeros Automáticos, garantizando un mayor apoyo a la administración, control y gestión de la red de cajeros automáticos y software de control, así como del servicio técnico que se ofrece.

Previous Posts:

At 6:00 PM Today, Final [For Now] Western Union Transactions With Cuba Are [Temporarily Perhaps] Suspended

Will United States Airlines Now Post A Link To FinCEN Form 105 On Their Internet Sites For Passengers Traveling To Cuba?

Western Union Data For Transfers To Cuba: 2.88 Million Annually- 24% To Havana; Florida 1st, Texas 2nd, New Jersey 3rd; US$200,000+ Could Be Aboard Each Flight From Miami

Trump Administration Executive Order About China Military Will Impact Biden Administration Decisions About Cuba Military

Cuba Has Options To Retain Western Union Electronic Remittance Services- Transfer To A Bank?

If Western Union Ends Remittance Services To Cuba, That Means A Return Of “Mules On Steroids”- The Impact Could Cripple MIA

Western Union Preparing To End Money Transfers To Cuba On 22 November 2020.... Will Cuba Permit It?

Has The United States Created "An Enormous Coalition" Against Cuba And Venezuela? The Data Does Not Support The Statement

11/24/2020 07:51 PM EST

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
Via Teleconference
Interview With Bret Baier of Fox News Special Report

QUESTION:  The defense secretary you worked alongside wrote an opinion editorial, or in part wrote it, former Secretary James Mattis saying this: “In practice, ‘America first’ has meant America alone.  That has damaged the country’s ability to address problems before they reach U.S. territory and has thus compounded the danger emergent threats pose.”  That’s Jim Mattis.  Your thoughts? 

SECRETARY POMPEO:  I have a lot of respect for Jim, but he’s just dead wrong on that.  “America first” has been at its heart a recognition that when America is secure at home, when America does good things for our own economy and for our own prosperity, that America will be a force for good all around the region, and that indeed, we can’t deliver security, increased security around the world, when America is not secure. I take great umbrage at the (inaudible) it’s been America alone.  And I would tell you that our Japanese colleagues, our South Korean colleagues, our Indian colleagues, our Australian colleagues all know that the pivot to Asia was a joke, but that the United States under President Trump actually delivered real benefits to them. [BOLD added]  And whether it was the work that we’ve done to build out an enormous coalition to go after the socialist Maduro, to go after the Cubans, these are real coalitions, real things that work.  It wasn’t America alone.  It was us doing it with our friends and allies based on shared interests and a reality that recognized central facts about what is and not pretending that things are as we would like them to be. 

Background On “Enormous Coalition” 

President [Nicolas] Maduro was re-elected in 2018.  The election result was and remains disputed and approximately sixty countries (of 193 member states of the United Nations), which is 30%, do not recognize his legitimacy.  The sixty country list has not increased meaningfully since 2019.  The President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Mr. Juan Guaido, is recognized as Interim President by approximately sixty countries- and that number has not materially increased in nearing two years.  Importantly for Venezuela, China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Turkey do not recognize Mr. Guaido. Some of the sixty “friends and allies” countries referenced by Secretary of State Pompeo report they were then and remain now unwilling participants- those countries with companies engaging with Cuba and Venezuela were threatened with sanctions by the United States. Those reports do not demonstrate a coalition of the willing.   

From media reporting- how the now twenty-seven-member Brussels, Belgium-based European Union (EU) views Venezuela and Belarus:    

31 January 2019- “EU lawmakers voted 439 in favor to 104 against, with 88 abstentions, at a special session in Brussels to recognize Venezuelan congress head Guaido as interim leader.” 

Compared with… 

17 September 2020- “In an overwhelming show of support for pro-democracy protesters in Belarus, the EU assembly voted 574 to 37, with 82 abstentions, to reject the official results of an Aug. 9 presidential election that the West says was rigged.”

U.S. Secretary Of The Treasury Janet Yellen's OFAC Will Be Guided By The White House And State Department

Mrs. Janet L. Yellen, whom President-elect Joseph Biden will nominate as the 78th United States Secretary of the Treasury, will defer decisions to political appointees within the United States Department of the Treasury, United States Department of State, and The White House regarding the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury.   

During her previous positions within the United States Federal Reserve, Secretary Yellen is accustomed to supporting career employees- and they are the managers of the issues within the jurisdiction of the OFAC.  Secretary Yellen, as an academic, will focus upon the macro issues and micro issues impacting the United States economy; and closely work with the United States Federal Reserve and United States Congress.  Enforcement operations of the OFAC will not be prioritized as during the Trump Administration.

Unknown if Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriott International, Denver, Colorado-based Western Union Company, Miami, Florida-based Carnival Corporation, Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, and Conway, Arkansas-based Home BancShares among United States-based companies, particularly travel-related, whose operations within the Republic of Cuba were disrupted by decisions of the Trump Administration will seek early in 2021 changes to OFAC regulations and revisions to existing OFAC licenses or cancelled OFAC licenses so they may again operate as permitted prior to 20 January 2017 within the Republic of Cuba. Unknown too is whether any of the impacted companies want to return to the Republic of Cuba based upon their previous operational experiences within the Republic of Cuba. 

For the Republic of Cuba and Venezuela, the result will be continuing investigations of violations of United States statutes and regulations- even those impacting companies and individuals within the jurisdictions of the twenty-seven member European Union (EU), Canada, Japan, South Korea, and other commercial, economic and political allies of the United States.  The scale of OFAC career-employee-led investigations remained consistent during the Obama Administration and Trump Administration. 

Thus far, the foreign policy senior-level staffing decisions by President-elect Biden have been careerists, devoid of elected politicians, current or retired.  This absence will insulate more effectively appointees and potentially permit an increased level of proactivity because there will be fewer traditional Capitol Hill-focused pressure points which may be used to lessen or reverse decisions.  Members of the United States Congress may find their pathways to influence the OFAC encountering a more structured decision-making sieve.

From Wikipedia:
15th Chair of the Federal Reserve
In office
February 3, 2014 – February 3, 2018
President Barack Obama
Donald Trump
Deputy Stanley Fischer
Preceded by Ben Bernanke
Succeeded by Jerome Powell
Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve
In office
October 4, 2010 – February 3, 2014
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Donald Kohn
Succeeded by Stanley Fischer
Member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
In office
October 4, 2010 – February 3, 2018
President Barack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded by Mark W. Olson
Succeeded by Vacant
In office
August 12, 1994 – February 17, 1997
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Wayne Angell
Succeeded by Edward Gramlich
President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
In office
June 14, 2004 – October 4, 2010
Preceded by Robert Parry
Succeeded by John Williams
18th Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
In office
February 18, 1997 – August 3, 1999
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Joseph Stiglitz
Succeeded by Martin Baily
Personal details
Born Janet Louise Yellen
August 13, 1946 (age 74)
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Jewish
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) George Akerlof
Children 1
Education Brown University (AB) and Yale University (MA, PhD

President-Elect Biden Converses With Representatives Of EU, But Readout Includes No Mention Of Cuba Or Venezuela

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 23, 2020

Readout of President-elect Biden’s Foreign Leader Calls

President-elect Joe Biden took part in separate congratulatory calls today with the leaders of the European Commission, European Council, Jordan, and NATO.

The president-elect spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and thanked her for her congratulations. The president-elect expressed his belief that a strong European Union is in the United States’ interest and underscored his commitment to deepen and revitalize the U.S.-EU relationship. He also conveyed his hope that the United States and the European Union could work to harness their shared values and the world’s largest trade and investment relationship to cooperate on common challenges, including containing COVID-19 and building global health security, tackling the threat of climate change, and strengthening democracy. The president-elect also highlighted the importance of U.S.-EU cooperation on issues of mutual concern, including Iran, Belarus, Ukraine and the Western Balkans.

The president-elect spoke with European Council President Charles Michel. The president-elect thanked President Michel for his congratulations and conveyed his desire to deepen and revitalize the U.S.-EU partnership based on shared values and robust economic ties. He expressed his eagerness to work closely with the European Union and its member states to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; ensure a durable and sustainable global economic recovery, and address the climate crisis. The president-elect also underscored his commitment to strengthening democracy at home and abroad, engaging multilaterally, and cooperating on common challenges such as Iran, Belarus, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans.

At 6:00 PM Today, Final [For Now] Western Union Transactions With Cuba Are [Temporarily Perhaps] Suspended

From Western Union Company: “November 22, 2020 at 11:00PM U.S. EST: The last opportunity to send money from the U.S. to Cuba.  On November 23, 2020, at 6:00 PM Cuba Time: The deadline to pick up money at Western Union retail locations in Cuba.”  

Today at 6:00 pm the final transaction using the services of Western Union will be completed for a remittance from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.  A one-in-four chance that remittance will be from the state of Florida to the city of Havana.  

In 2019, Western Union Company completed globally more than 800 million transactions with a total value of approximately US$300 billion.  In 2019, Western Union Company transferred an estimated US$1+ billion (approximately US$3+ million per day, the majority sent from Florida of which 24% was dispersed amongst ninety-four distribution locations in Havana) from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.  Western Union Company has 407 distribution locations in the Republic of Cuba.   

The Trump Administration is not anticipating re-authorizing Denver, Colorado-based Western Union Company (2019 revenues US$5.3 billion) to continue to use Fincimex as its distribution partner.  Fincimex is a subsidiary of Republic of Cuba government-operated Corporacion Cimex S.A., which is a subsidiary of Republic of Cuba government-operated GAESA, which is controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of the Republic of Cuba.  The Republic of Cuba continues to evaluate separating Fincimex from the FAR. 

The Trump Administration has developed and implemented a narrative to advocate for the disconnection in the Republic of Cuba of the military from its role throughout the economy.  The Trump Administration has followed with a similar focus upon the military in the People’s Republic of China.  For the Republic of Cuba, the Trump Administration created the question- should a United States company, or any country, assist with military control of an economy?  United States executives should prefer to conduct a commercial transaction with a civilian rather than with a general.  Officials of the Trump Administration have indicated additional policy changes focusing upon the Republic of Cuba and Venezuela are anticipated prior to 20 January 2021. 

The Biden Administration is expected in 2021 to remove the Trump Administration restriction of US$1,000.00 per quarter for remittances from the United States to the Republic of Cuba. 

However, the Biden Administration is not expected to remove the Trump Administration prohibition for Western Union Company to use Fincimex, nor any other FAR-controlled entity, as its distribution partner in the Republic of Cuba.  There will be no political appetite within the West Wing of The White House to incur the certain wrath from a bipartisan membership within the United States Congress.  

With the Republic of Cuba planning to merge its two currencies and multiple currency exchange rates, perhaps as early as 1 January 2021, important to have efficient, constant and transparent inflows of foreign exchange to buffer the substantial economic disruptions that will, unfortunately necessary for the process to be effective, be inflicted upon the 11.3 million citizens of the Republic of Cuba.  Absent an electronic financial institution connectivity with the United States, those with no access and those with tenuous, inconsistent access to foreign exchange will expectedly become fearful, which may present a destabilizing challenge to the [Miguel] Diaz-Canel Administration throughout 2021.  

With the current two Pesos (CUP- national peso and CUC- convertible peso) existing side-by-side in the Republic of Cuba with different public and commercial exchange rates, time will be required to condition the population that one Peso is sufficient, stable, redeemable, and sustainable. 

As the global reserve currency, the United States Dollar will not be replaced easily in the Republic of Cuba neither by the Peso nor a digital currency such as bitcoin as a measure of value for the population.  The same is valid for the use of the Euro and the Canadian Dollar, the currencies used by most visitors to the Republic of Cuba.  Most remittances to the Republic of Cuba are estimated to arrive directly or indirectly from the United States and using currency for an electronic remittance is substantially less expensive than using a credit card or debit card.  The use of a digital currency requires the sender and the recipient to have access to the Internet, have access to a digital currency platform and retain often complex access requirements; and digital currencies remain subject to expansive and unexpected changes in valuation, theft, confiscation, and government regulation.   

There are 11.3 million citizens in the Republic of Cuba and there are approximately 2.3 million individuals of Cuban-descent residing in the United States, with the majority in Florida.  Most remittances to the Republic of Cuba originate in the United States, where the use of the United States Dollar in the form of currency and for transactions with credit cards and debit cards will not soon be changing to digital currency.  If the Republic of Cuba attempts aggressively to replace inflows of the United States Dollar solely with digital currency, the level of remittances will decrease. 

Most importantly, should a sender or a recipient have an issue with an electronic remittance sent using Western Union Company, the sender and the recipient have 100% confidence that Western Union Company has the organizational means to determine what happened and to resolve the issue.  Using a digital currency and digital wallet provide no efficient dispute mechanism- there is no toll-free telephone number to reach bitcoin customer service. 

FinCEN Form 105 For Currency To Cuba

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/563a4585e4b00d0211e8dd7e/t/5fb28e23442fdf7b30ff19d5/1605537315812/fin105_cmir.pdf

Three New Appointees To Biden Administration Foreign Policy Team Does Not Return To Obama Administration Cuba Policies

The incoming Biden Administration is expected to confirm that Mr. Antony John Blinken will be nominated to be United States Secretary of State, Ms. Linda Thomas-Greenfield will be nominated to be Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, and Mr. Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan will be appointed as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. 

The inclusion of these three individuals to the incoming Biden Administration bodes well for a return to an inter-agency focus upon traditional decision-making processes throughout the United States government.  There will also be a focus upon conditionality with respect to commercial, economic, and political relationships between the United States and other countries. 

Significant is none of the three were or are elected office holders nor do they anticipate becoming elected office holders.  As such, their focus will not be upon positioning themselves for future office- a focus which has impacted previous individuals serving in the positions. 

For the Republic of Cuba, the inclusion of these three individuals should neither suggest an aggressive nor immediate return to the pre-20 January 2017 Obama Administration policies. Caution will be the strategy.

The Miami Herald
Miami, Florida
23 November 2020

Excerpts:

Rubio’s office wouldn’t answer questions Monday about the senator’s position on Blinken’s nomination. But Rubio, who is Cuban American, was plenty critical of Blinken’s answers in 2014 when Rubio pressed him during a confirmation hearing on whether Obama would “unilaterally” move to lift sanctions on Cuba.

“Anything that might be done in Cuba would have to be consistent with the law,” Blinken, at the time Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said while appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And second, anything that in the future that might be done in Cuba would be done in real consultation” with the committee.

A few weeks later, Blinken was confirmed by the Senate as deputy secretary of state. And the very next day, Obama announced that he’d ordered the State Department to establish an embassy in Havana for the first time in more than a half-century. He also moved to ease restrictions on travel, remittances and commerce on the island.

When Blinken appeared before the foreign relations committee again in 2015, Rubio reminded him of his commitment, reading aloud Blinken’s previous statement on Cuba.

“I did not live up to the standard I set during that hearing and in the remarks that you just quoted. I think that I could have done a better job in engaging with you and consulting with you in advance,” Blinken told Rubio. “And I regret that.”

Will United States Airlines Now Post A Link To FinCEN Form 105 On Their Internet Sites For Passengers Traveling To Cuba?

Beginning at 6:00 pm on 23 November 2020, absent the services of Denver, Colorado-based Western Union Company (2019 revenues approximately US$5.3 billion) there will be an increase in “mule” traffic on regularly-scheduled commercial airline flights and charter airline flights from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.

A “mule” is an individual who collects United States currency on behalf of third parties and transports it to the Republic of Cuba.

When transporting more than US$10,000.00, a passenger is required to file a report declaring the exact amount of funds to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  An increasing number of United States-based financial institutions have instituted requirements for customers to also file disclosure forms when obtaining less than US$10,000.00 in currency from their bank branch.  LINK To FinCEN Form 105

Most of the flights operate from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Jose Marti International Airport (HAV).

There had been additional flights from Boston Logan International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Tampa International Airport. 

Airlines operating schedules have included American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. 

Cuba Airline Operations 

• In December 2019, the Trump administration restricted United States regularly-scheduled commercial flights and authorized charter flights to HAV.  The decision ended regularly-scheduled flights by Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airways, and United Airlines to cities including Camaguey, Holguin, Santa Clara, and Santiago de Cuba. 

• Regularly-scheduled commercial flights from MIA represent the majority of all regularly-scheduled commercial flights from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.  

• Regularly-scheduled commercial flight and authorized charter flight passengers departing MIA for HAV primarily use Concourses D (American Airlines), E (American Airlines, Swift Air) and J (Swift Air) at MIA. 

• After a hiatus due to the impact of COVID-19, HAV resumed its international flight operations on 15 November 2020. 

• On 4 November 2020, Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines reported that three flights daily would operate from MIA to HAV. 

Trump Administration Decisions 

The Trump Administration prohibits United States-based companies from engagement with entities controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of the Republic of Cuba.  There is no indication the prohibition will be rescinded or revised.  The United States Department of State added to the Cuba Restricted List Republic of Cuba government-operated American International Services (AIS) and Financiera Cimex (Fincimex), a Panama-registered subsidiary of Republic of Cuba government-operated Corporacion Cimex which is a subsidiary of Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) and controlled by the FAR.  Fincimex is the distribution partner in the Republic of Cuba for Western Union Company. 

Ernst & Young Office In Cuba Publishes 15-Page Information Alert For 2020 Legislative Reforms

In October 2020, the Ernst & Young (EY) office in the city of Havana, Republic of Cuba, published an English language and Spanish language 15-page text of an Information Alert “Cuba, present and future: main legislative reforms adopted in 2020” London, United Kingdom-based EY reported 2020 fiscal year revenues of approximately US$37.2 billion. The EY office in the Republic of Cuba is not identified on the Internet site of EY.

English Text
Spanish Text

Data Reference Errors To Media Continue To Inhabit U.S. Department Of State; It's Neither Necessary, Nor Helpful For Credibility

El Nuevo Herald
Miami, Florida
20 November 2020

Dr. Mara Tekach, Coordinator- Office of Cuban Affairs, United States Department of State:

”“Gracias a los Estados Unidos volúmenes masivos de productos agrícolas, medicinas, equipos médicos y bienes humanitarios llegan a Cuba. Desde 1992 Estados Unidos ha autorizado la exportación de $1,000 millones a Cuba. En 2019 Estados Unidos exportó $3,7 millones de suministros médicos a Cuba para apoyar al pueblo cubano”, dijo Tekach.”

Google Translate: “Thanks to the United States massive volumes of agricultural products, medicines, medical equipment and humanitarian goods arrive in Cuba. Since 1992, the United States has authorized the export of $1 billion to Cuba. In 2019 the United States exported $3.7 million of medical supplies to Cuba to support the Cuban people,” said Tekach.

Uncertain from the Spanish language text as published or the English language Google-created translation if Dr. Tekach was suggesting that the government of the United States had provided (donated) US$1 billion to the Republic of Cuba and suggesting that the government of the United States had provided (donated) US$3.7 million in healthcare products to the Republic of Cuba.

Irrespective of the use of either language versions, the references are incorrect.

First, since December 2001, more than US$6,259,135,008.00 in agricultural commodities and food products have been exported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, on a cash-in-advance basis as required by United States law. Unknown is the source of the data for a value of US$1 billion from 1992 to 2020 referenced by Dr. Tekach.

Second, healthcare product exports from the United States to the Republic of Cuba on a commercial basis in 2019 were US$1,096,505.00 compared to US$3,492,553.00 in 2018. Thus far in 2020, healthcare product exports are US$656,697.00.

The following contains information on exports from the United States to the Republic of Cuba- products within the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000, Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992, and regulations implemented (1992 to present) for other products by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury and Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the United States Department of Commerce.

The TSREEA re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis) export of food products (including branded food products) and agricultural commodities from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, irrespective of purpose. The TSREEA does not include healthcare products, which remain authorized and regulated by the CDA.

HEALTHCARE PRODUCT EXPORTS- Exports of healthcare products (medical equipment, medical instruments, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals) to the Republic of Cuba are subject to provisions of the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992, which require end use-verification, but are not subject to cash-in-advance payment requirements. Exports have included: Medicaments (penicillin and insulin); Dentifrices (toothpastes); Laboratory regents; Ultrasonic scanning equipment; Artificial limbs; Medical appliances; Surgical appliances (dental); Opthalmic (eye); Cannulae (tubing) and gelatin capsules.

HUMANITARIAN DONATIONS- Donated items are neither included in TSREEA nor CDA calculations. These items are generally delivered to the Republic of Cuba using air carriers or containers on vessels; do not include personal deliveries (by travelers on flights and through third countries). A substantial quantity and U.S. Dollar value of items categorized as “humanitarian” are transported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba using air carriers; thus, the information is not documented.

Western Union Data For Transfers To Cuba: 2.88 Million Annually- 24% To Havana; Florida 1st, Texas 2nd, New Jersey 3rd; US$200,000+ Could Be Aboard Each Flight From Miami

“Every month, Cubans in the U.S. send more than 240,000 unique transfers into Cuba using formal money transfer channels.“- Western Union Company

2.88 million annual transfers will cease on 22 November 2020 unless the Republic of Cuba shifts control of the in-country partner of Western Union Company, Fincimex, to a non-military-controlled entity.

If each transfer is US$300.00 (Western Union Company’s published global average for all C2C sends), then the total annual value of transfers would be US$864 million- or US$72 million per month or US$2.4 million per day. There are unofficial estimates suggesting an average transfer of nearer to US$500.00. The U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council estimates Western Union Company transfers annually to the Republic of Cuba of approximately US$900 million to US$1.5 billion.

Absent Western Union Company services, the US$2.4 million per day would likely be transported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba using paid “mules” aboard regularly-scheduled commercial flights. With a current approximately twelve daily 150-passenger aircraft flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Jose Marti International Airport (HAV), that would suggest a possible US$200,000.00 or more aboard each flight.

From Western Union: “The closure of airports and the termination of flights in a pandemic world limits these methods of transfer through these mules. The current formal channels provide a safe, secure, and guaranteed method to deliver much-needed dollars directly into the hands of Cubans.”

Western Union Company
Denver, Colorado
19 November 2020

U.S. CUBA MONEY TRANSFER FACTS – AS NOVEMBER 18, 2020
US to Cuba Flows

In the absence of Cuban Central Bank data, independent researchers estimate total remittances sent from the U.S. to Cuba between US$2 billion to US$4 billion per annum. An estimated equal amount is reportedly channeled through informal channels, some carrying it on behalf of family and friends and others surcharging premium rates to assure safe passage. vi Approximately 50% of transactions are estimated to flow through formal channels and 50% through informal channels.

Every month, Cubans in the U.S. send more than 240,000 unique transfers into Cuba using formal money transfer channels. vii Unique transfers do not equate to customers; a single customer may send multiple transactions in a month. vii On an annual basis, there are more than 2,880,000 transfers from the United States to Cuba. vvi Western Union has previously reported the global average for transfers is US$300.00. vii For each pay-in-store transaction, the outlet receives a percentage of the fee and the in-country distribution partner receives a percentage of the fee.

Top U.S. States sending to Cuba
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. New Jersey
4. Nevada
5. New York
6. California
7. Kentucky
8. Nebraska
9. Arizona
10. Georgia

Major Receive Provinces and % of Formal Remittances Received viii
Artemisa- 6%
Camaguey- 6%
Ciego de Avila- 7%
Cienfuegos- 4%
Granma- 3%
Guantanamo- 3%
Holguin- 6%
Isla de la Juventud- 1%
La Habana- 24%
Las Tunas- 3%
Matanzas- 7%
Mayabeque- 4%
Pinar del Rio- 6%
Sancti Spiritus- 4%
Santiago de Cuba- 7%
Villa Clara- 7%

Western Union 407 Agent Location Breakdown by Province ix
Artemisa- 26
Camaguey- 25
Ciego de Avila- 29
Cienfuegos- 17
Granma- 13
Guantanamo- 14
Holguin- 23
Isla de la Juventud- 5
La Habana- 96
Las Tunas- 14
Matanzas- 29
Mayabeque- 18
Pinar del Rio- 26
Sancti Spiritus- 16
Santiago de Cuba- 27
Villa Clara

Demographics

U.S. Cuban Senders i Nearly half (48%) of all Cuban American families send remittances to relatives in Cuba. The most recent arrivals are the most likely to send remittances while the older population group and the pre-1995 migrants are the least likely to send money to relatives on the island.

Age
Cuban Americans aged 40-59 are most likely to send remittances to relatives in Cuba.

Cuban Receivers ii
Approximately 70% of Cubans living in South Florida have relatives living in Cuba. Unsurprisingly, a higher percentage of those who migrated since 1995 (84%) have relatives left behind. The South Florida Cuban-American community is developing into a true transnational diaspora. Despite the recent travel restrictions, many families have experienced the migration of one or more of their members.

Reasons for Sending Money to Cuba

The economy and health care remain the two most important issues for Cuban Americans. iii
Additionally: food, rent, and other expenses or supports micro-businesses iv Regardless of when the respondents left Cuba, the economy edges out health care as the most important issue for Cuban Americans in South Florida. v

i Source: pg. 28 FIU Study, 2020, Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs
ii (Source: pg. 24 FIU Study, 2020, Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs)
iii (Source: pg. 4 FIU Study, 2020, Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs)
iv (Source: Western Union internal data used on blog/customer letter, 11/13/20)
v (Source: pg. 30, FIU Study, 2020, Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs)
vi FIU 2016
vii Western Union
viii Western Union
ix Western Union

LINKS TO PREVIOUS RELATED POSTS

Cuba Has Options To Retain Western Union Electronic Remittance Services- Transfer To A Bank?

If Western Union Ends Remittance Services To Cuba, That Means A Return Of “Mules On Steroids”- The Impact Could Cripple MIA

U.S. Department Of Transportation Denies Cuba Cargo Flight Charter Requests; Two Companies Oppose

“U.S. Department of Transportation Denies Exemptions for Cuba Cargo Flights
Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Effective October 13, DOT suspended the authority of U.S. and foreign carriers to provide charter flights between the United States and Cuba. DOT’s suspension order provided for certain limited exceptions, specifically for “authorized charter flights for emergency medical purposes, search and rescue, and other travel deemed to be in the interest of the United States” (DOT Order 2020-8-4). DOT took this suspension action at the express request of the Department of State, in a letter to DOT from Secretary Pompeo, and DOT’s language as to the permitted exceptions was taken verbatim from Secretary Pompeo’s letter.

Two U.S. air taxi operators have requested exemptions from DOT’s Cuba charter suspension order, to operate small-aircraft all-cargo charter flights between Miami and Havana. The applicants, Skyway Enterprises, Inc. (Skyway) and IBC Airways, Inc. (IBC), each assert that their proposed flights are humanitarian in nature and therefore should be permitted under the exceptions provided for under DOT’s charter suspension order. Given that the language of those exceptions originated with the Department of State, DOT consulted with the Department of State to determine whether they regard the proposed Skyway and IBC flights as coming within the specified exceptions. We received guidance from the Department of State that the applications did not fall within the specified exceptions, and that grant of the requested authority would not be in the foreign policy interests of the United States. Accordingly, DOT has issued an order denying the requested exemptions. This order can be viewed on regulations.gov by entering “DOT-OST-2020-0129” in the search field.”

LINKS
DOT Final Order
DOT Order Denying Exemptions
Objection By Attorney For Cuba Charter Services LLC
Objection By Attorney For Viajehoy LLC
DOT Order For Suspension Of U.S.-Cuba Charter Authorizations

In SEC IPO Documents, Airbnb Discloses Potential Violation Of OFAC's Cuba Regulations

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 2020.
Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM S-1 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Airbnb, Inc.

Brian Chesky
Chief Executive Officer
Airbnb, Inc.
888 Brannan Street
San Francisco, California 94103
(415) 510-4027

We are subject to governmental economic and trade sanctions laws and regulations that limit the scope of our offering. Additionally, failure to comply with applicable economic and trade sanctions laws and regulations could subject us to liability and negatively affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We are required to comply with economic and trade sanctions administered by governments where we operate, including the U.S. government (including without limitation regulations administered and enforced by OFAC and the U.S. Department of State), the Council of the European Union, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation of Her Majesty’s Treasury in the United Kingdom (“OFSI”) and the Ministry of Finance and Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier of Luxembourg. These economic and trade sanctions prohibit or restrict transactions to or from or dealings with certain specified countries, regions, their governments and, in certain circumstances, their nationals, and with individuals and entities that are specially-designated, such as individuals and entities included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN List”), subject to EU/UK asset freezes, or other sanctions measures. Any future economic and trade sanctions imposed in jurisdictions where we have significant business could materially adversely impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Our ability to track and verify transactions and otherwise to comply with these regulations require a high level of internal controls. We maintain policies and procedures to implement these internal controls, which we periodically assess and update to the extent we identify compliance gaps. We routinely report to OFAC on payments we have rejected or blocked pursuant to OFAC sanctions regulations and on any possible violations of those regulations. We have also reported to OFSI on dealings with persons subject to EU/UK sanctions. There is a risk that, despite the internal controls that we have in place, we have engaged in dealings with persons sanctioned under applicable sanctions laws. Any non-compliance with economic and trade sanctions laws and regulations or related investigations could result in claims or actions against us and materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. As our business continues to grow and regulations change, we may be required to make additional investments in our internal controls or modify our business.

Since July 2019, we conducted an internal review and have been holding related discussions with OFAC regarding certain user activity on our platform that may have been inconsistent with our policies and the requirements of U.S. sanctions laws. The scope of this review included activity by users in certain countries and territories that were or are the target of U.S. sanctions laws. In July 2020, OFAC issued to us a cautionary letter and no administrative penalty with respect to certain aspects of that review concerning the Crimea region of Ukraine. The internal review also covered certain other issues concerning our compliance with OFAC’s sanctions program, focusing in particular on our business in Cuba, and as to our compliance with restrictions on transactions with specially designated nationals. We submitted the results of that internal review in final Voluntary Self Disclosures to OFAC in September 2020. In October 2020, OFAC issued to us cautionary letters and a no action letter, and no administrative penalties, with respect to the disclosed matters involving specially designated nationals. OFAC’s review of our voluntary self disclosure regarding Cuba is ongoing and we remain in close contact with OFAC. Depending upon OFAC’s assessment of the Cuba review, we could be subject to potentially significant monetary civil penalties and litigation, and our brand and reputation could be materially adversely affected.

Trump Administration Executive Order About China Military Will Impact Biden Administration Decisions About Cuba Military

The Trump Administration decision on 12 November 2020 to prohibit individuals subject to United States jurisdiction from investing in military-controlled companies in the People’s Republic of China will impact the ability of the Biden Administration to alter the Trump Administration’s 2017 policy changes which prohibit individuals subject to United States jurisdiction from engagement with companies controlled by the military in the Republic of Cuba.

With the addition of the People’s Republic of China, the Trump Administration has created a sustainable and transferable and non-Republic of Cuba-centric narrative which will be challenging for the Biden Administration to change without impactful bipartisan criticism from members of the United States Congress.

With the political party divisions narrow in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, there will be little incentive for the Biden Administration to be perceived as “supporting military control of the China and Cuba economies.”

The Trump Administration’s message to the Biden Administration is separating the military from control of country economies is not being punitive, it’s about who would, and who should a United States company want to engage- with a general or with a civilian.

While United States companies would prefer to self-determine whether to engage with military-controlled companies in the Republic of Cuba, executives from United States companies will not be engaging publicly to oppose Trump Administration policy as it transforms into Biden Administration policy.

The White House
Washington DC
12 November 2020

EXECUTIVE ORDER 13959

ADDRESSING THE THREAT FROM SECURITIES INVESTMENTS THAT FINANCE COMMUNIST CHINESE MILITARY COMPANIES

Excerpts

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the People's Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas, including by developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction, advanced conventional weapons, and malicious cyber-enabled actions against the United States and its people.

I therefore further find that the PRC's military-industrial complex, by directly supporting the efforts of the PRC's military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. To protect the United States homeland and the American people, I hereby declare a national emergency with respect to this threat.

The White House
Washington DC
16 June 2017

Fact Sheet On Cuba Policy
Summary of Key Policy Changes:

Excerpts

The new policy channels economic activities away from the Cuban military monopoly, Grupo de Administración Empresarial (GAESA), including most travel-related transactions, while allowing American individuals and entities to develop economic ties to the private, small business sector in Cuba. The new policy makes clear that the primary obstacle to the Cuban people’s prosperity and economic freedom is the Cuban military’s practice of controlling virtually every profitable sector of the economy. President Trump’s policy changes will encourage American commerce with free Cuban businesses and pressure the Cuban government to allow the Cuban people to expand the private sector.

Cuba Has Options To Retain Western Union Electronic Remittance Services- Transfer To A Bank?

Cuba Has Options To Retain Western Union Electronic Remittance Services
GASEA Transfers Or Sells Assets Of Fincimex to BICSA Or Another Bank
Cuba Banks Have A History With Transferring Operations

The Trump Administration prohibits United States-based companies from engagement with entities controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of the Republic of Cuba.   

There is no indication from the Trump Administration that the prohibition will be rescinded or revised.   

The United States Department of State added to the Cuba Restricted List Republic of Cuba government-operated American International Services (AIS) and Republic of Cuba government-operated Financiera Cimex (Fincimex), a Panama-registered subsidiary of Republic of Cuba government-operated Corporacion Cimex which is a subsidiary of Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) and controlled by the FAR.  Fincimex is the distribution partner in the Republic of Cuba for Western Union Company.   

There is also no indication the incoming Biden Administration would make changes to the Cuba Restricted List.  There is expectation the Biden Administration will change the current US$1,000.00 per quarter limitation for remittances from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.  

The Republic of Cuba continues to evaluate options relating to Fincimex, including the sale or transfer of the subsidiary to a non-FAR-controlled Republic of Cuba government-operated entity, such as a financial institution (Banco de Crédito y Comercio S.A. (BANDEC), Banco Popular de Ahorro S.A. (BPA), Banco Financiero Internacional S.A. (BFI), Banco Internacional de Comercio S.A. (BICSA), and Banco Metropolitano S.A.(BM)) each of which could seamlessly absorb and maintain Fincimex operations.   

There is history for one Republic of Cuba government-operated financial institution transferring operations to another Republic of Cuba government-operated financial institution. 

From Banco Metropolitano S.A.: “(“BM”) is a Cuban commercial bank that has presence only in Havana.  Its corporate object is the pursuit of banking businesses, including but not limited to financial intermediation activities.  BM started its operations in 1996 with a Havana branch office specialized in the provision of banking services solely to the diplomatic community, as well as the foreign natural and legal persons who were residents in Cuba.  By resolution of Banco Central de Cuba (the Cuban Central Bank of “BCC,” for its Spanish acronym), BM’s corporate object, customer base, product portfolio and services were expanded effectively 2004 when BM acquired 30 offices hitherto held by Banco de Crédito y Comercio (“BANDEC,” for its Spanish acronym) and more than 50 offices hitherto held by Banco Popular de Ahorro (“BPA,” for its Spanish acronym), all located in Havana.  As a result, BM established a representative presence in every municipality of the province of Havana.” 

In 2015, BICSA, a member of Republic of Cuba government-operated Grupo Nuevo Banca SA, created by Corporate Charter No. 49 on 29 October 1993 and commenced operation on 3 January 1994, was vetted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury and approved for a correspondent banking relationship with Conway, Arkansas-based Home BancShares (2019 assets approximately US$14 billion) through its subsidiary Centennial Bank which in 2017 purchased Pompano Beach, Florida-based Stonegate Bank.  

Stonegate Bank 

In 2015, the OFAC authorized Pompano Beach, Florida-based Stonegate Bank (2017 assets approximately US$2.9 billion) to have an account with BICSA.  In 2017, Home BancShares through its Centennial Bank subsidiary purchased Pompano Beach, Florida-based Stonegate Bank. 

However, because the Obama Administration would not authorize BICSA under a license from the OFAC to have an account with Stonegate Bank, United States export-related funds were sent and received through Panama City, Panama-based Multibank, which had, but no longer has extensive dealings with the Republic of Cuba.   

From Bogota, Colombia-based Grupo Aval on 16 June 2020: “On May 25th, Banco de Bogotá, through its subsidiary Leasing Bogotá S.A. Panamá, acquired 96.6% of the ordinary shares of Multi Financial Group.  As part of the acquisition process, MFG’s operation in Cuba was closed and as part of the transaction.  Grupo Aval complies with OFAC regulations and doesn't have transactional relationships with Cuba.”  

From 2017 Home BancShares Annual Report 

U.S. persons, including U.S. banks, are restricted in their ability to establish relationships and engage in transactions with Cuba and Cuban persons pursuant to the existing U.S. embargo and the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. However, we maintain a customer relationship to handle the accounts for Cuba’s diplomatic missions at the United Nations and for the Cuban Interests Section (now the Cuban Embassy) in Washington, D.C. This relationship was established in May 2015 pursuant to a special license granted to Stonegate Bank by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) in connection with the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba. In July 2015, Stonegate Bank established a correspondent banking relationship with Banco Internacional de Comercio, S.A. (“BICSA”) in Havana, Cuba.  Cross-border correspondent banking relationships pose unique risks because they create situations in which a U.S. financial institution will be handling funds from a foreign financial institution whose customers may not be transparent to the U.S. financial institution. Moreover, Cuban financial institutions are not subject to the same or similar regulatory guidelines as U.S. banks; therefore, these foreign institutions may pose a higher money laundering risk to their respective U.S. bank correspondent(s). Investigations have determined that, in the past, foreign correspondent accounts have been used by drug traffickers and other criminal elements to launder funds. Shell companies are sometimes used in the layering process to hide the true ownership of accounts at foreign correspondent financial institutions. Because of the large amount of funds, multiple transactions, and the U.S. bank’s potential lack of familiarity with a foreign correspondent financial institution’s customer, criminals and terrorists can more easily conceal the source and use of illicit funds. Consequently, we may have a higher risk of noncompliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (“BSA/AML”) rules due to its new correspondent banking relationship with BICSA and will likely need to more closely monitor transactions related to correspondent accounts in Cuba, potentially resulting in increased compliance costs. Our failure to strictly adhere to the terms and requirements of our OFAC license or our failure to adequately manage our BSA/AML compliance risk in light of our new correspondent banking relationship with BICSA could result in regulatory or other actions being taken against us, which could significantly increase our compliance costs and materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

LINK TO COMPLETE POST IN PDF FORMAT

If Western Union Ends Remittance Services To Cuba, That Means A Return Of “Mules On Steroids”- The Impact Could Cripple MIA

If Western Union Ends Remittance Services To Cuba, That Means A Return Of “Mules On Steroids”- Impact Could Cripple MIA 

Impacting DHS, CBP, TSA, OFAC, FinCEN, Miami-Dade Police Department
Seeking Those With US$10,000.00; Including When Divided Among Travelers
Add 1-2 Minutes Per Passenger Could Result Additional 30+ Hours Of Screening
Might Airlines Decrease Or Decline Services To Cuba?

This scenario could unfold on 22 November 2020 at Miami International Airport (MIA) as the months of November, December and January have an increase in passengers traveling for the holidays:   

There are twelve (12) flights depart throughout the day to Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) from Concourses D, E and J, for a total of approximately 1,800 passengers.   

Because Denver, Colorado-based Western Union Company no longer provides electronic remittance services from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, what was the norm more than twenty years ago has returned- individual passengers serving as “mules” to carry onboard (with lesser amounts in checked luggage) United States currency, for a fee, to their families, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and customers in the Republic of Cuba.  The “mules” can often carry US$10,000.00 or more.  

A result of the electronic remittance disruption could be an increase in airport security line wait times as secondary-screening for each passenger becomes more likely.  One possibility would be a separate security line for passengers at all airports with services to the Republic of Cuba. 

The 1,800 passengers traveling on a typical day from MIA to HAV could require one minute to two minutes of additional screening- that is 1,800 minutes to 3,600 minutes per day.  There are sixty minutes in an hour.  That means an overall increase in screening time of 30 hours or more.   

This increase in screening times for passengers on flights to Republic of Cuba then also impacts passengers using the same concourses who are not traveling to the Republic of Cuba.  For other airports with services to the Republic of Cuba, they would encounter similar, though less impactful operational obstacles.   

The operational disruptions will impact members of the Washington, DC-based Airlines for America, the organization representing the ten largest United States air carriers.  Unknown is to what extent an increase in “mule” traffic will impact their schedules and budgets.  The impact could result in airlines choosing not to provide services to the Republic of Cuba or decrease services to the Republic of Cuba if airlines are unable to consistently schedule departures and arrivals.  

Previously, most flights to the Republic of Cuba operated from MIA.  There were additional flights from Boston Logan International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Tampa International Airport.  Airlines operating schedules have included American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. 

When transporting more than US$10,000.00, a passenger is required to file a report declaring the exact amount of funds to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  An increasing number of United States-based financial institutions have instituted requirements for customers to also file disclosure forms when obtaining less than US$10,000.00 in currency from their bank branch.  

Now, officers of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who manage the security lanes along with CBP officers might need be detailed specifically to identify violators of DHS/CBP/FinCEN regulations.  Screening procedures would include the use of devices and specially-trained canines.  There may also be required additional officers from the Airport District Police of the Miami-Dade Police Department to monitor passengers prior to screening as there could be an increase in criminal activities inside and outside of MIA terminals as becomes known that passengers using certain concourses and checking-in for certain flights may be carrying large sums of United States currency. 

There may also be required representation at MIA and other airports of the FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury).   

There could be a meaningful impact and upon the already-stressed budgets and already-stressed staffing schedules of the DHS, TSA, CPB, Miami-Dade Police Department, FinCEN, and OFAC.  

Cuba Airline Operations 

• In December 2019, the Trump administration restricted United States regularly-scheduled commercial flights and authorized charter flights to HAV.  The decision ended regularly-scheduled flights by Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airways, and United Airlines to cities including Camaguey, Holguin, Santa Clara, and Santiago de Cuba. 

• Regularly-scheduled commercial flights from MIA represent the majority of all regularly-scheduled commercial flights from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.  

• Regularly-scheduled commercial flight and authorized charter flight passengers departing MIA for HAV primarily use Concourses D (American Airlines), E (American Airlines, Swift Air) and J (Swift Air) at MIA. 

• After a hiatus due to the impact of COVID-19, HAV resumed its international flight operations on 15 November 2020. 

• On 4 November 2020, Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines reported that three flights daily would operate from MIA to HAV. 

Trump Administration Decisions 

The Trump Administration prohibits United States-based companies from engagement with entities controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of the Republic of Cuba.  There is no indication the prohibition will be rescinded or revised.  The United States Department of State added to the Cuba Restricted List Republic of Cuba government-operated American International Services (AIS) and Financiera Cimex (Fincimex), a Panama-registered subsidiary of Republic of Cuba government-operated Corporacion Cimex which is a subsidiary of Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) and controlled by the FAR.  Fincimex is the distribution partner in the Republic of Cuba for Western Union Company.  There is no indication the incoming Biden Administration would make changes to the Cuba Restricted List.  The Republic of Cuba continues to evaluate options relating to Fincimex, including the sale or transfer of the subsidiary to a non-FAR-controlled Republic of Cuba government-operated entity, such as a financial institution (Banco de Crédito y Comercio S.A. (BANDEC), Banco Popular de Ahorro S.A. (BPA), Banco Financiero Internacional S.A. (BFI), Banco Internacional de Comercio S.A. (BICSA), and Banco Metropolitano S.A. (BM)) which could seamlessly absorb and maintain Fincimex operations.  BICSA has already been vetted by the OFAC and has a correspondent banking relationship with Conway, Arkansas-based Home BancShares through its subsidiary Centennial Bank which in 2017 purchased Pompano Beach, Florida-based Stonegate Bank.  

In 2015, the OFAC authorized Stonegate Bank (2017 assets approximately US$2.9 billion) to have an account with BICSA, a member of Republic of Cuba government-operated Grupo Nuevo Banca SA, created by Corporate Charter No. 49 on 29 October 1993 and commenced operation on 3 January 1994.  

From Western Union  

“We informed our customers they have limited time to send money to their loved ones from the U.S. to Cuba, due to a new U.S. Government rule that will take effect on November 26, 2020.  The U.S. Government published the new rule on October 27, 2020, and provided 30 days for technical implementation of the new restrictions. Unfortunately, we have not found a solution in the limited timeframe.  The critical deadlines for money transfers to be collected from more than 400 Agent locations in Cuba are outlined below. These deadlines will enable us to pay out transfers in Cuba before the rule takes effect on November 26, 2020.  November 22, 2020, at 11:00 PM U.S. EST: The final opportunity to send money from the U.S. to Cuba.  November 23, 2020, at 6:00 PM Cuba Time: The deadline to pick up money at Western Union retail agent locations in Cuba.” 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

“There is no limit on the amount of money that can be taken out of or brought into the United States. However, if a person or persons traveling together and filing a joint declaration (CBP Form 6059-B) have more than $10,000 in currency or negotiable monetary instruments, they must fill out a "Report of International Transportation of Currency and Monetary Instruments" FinCEN [Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the United States Department of the Treasury] United States 105 (former CF 4790).  Please be aware, if persons/family members traveling together have more than $10,000, they cannot divide the currency between each other to avoid declaring the currency.  For example, if one person is carrying $5,000 and the other has $6,000, they have a total of $11,000 in their possession and must report it on a FinCEN 105 form. If a person or family fails to declare their monetary instruments in amounts more than $10,000 their monetary instrument(s) may be subject to forfeiture and could result in civil and or criminal penalties.  The FinCEN 105 form can be obtained prior to traveling or when going through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). If assistance is required, a CBP officer can help with filling out the form.” 

LINK To FinCEN 105 Form

LINK TO COMPLETE POST IN PDF FORMAT

Western Union Preparing To End Money Transfers To Cuba On 22 November 2020.... Will Cuba Permit It?

13 de noviembre de 2020

DECLARACIÓN DE WESTERN UNION A LOS MEDIOS

Hoy informamos a nuestros clientes que tienen un límite de tiempo para enviar dinero a sus seres queridos desde los Estados Unidos a Cuba, debido a una nueva norma del gobierno de los Estados Unidos que entrará en vigor el 26 de noviembre del 2020.

Hemos estado trabajando fuertemente para explorar todas las posibles alternativas para mantener abiertos nuestros servicios entre los Estados Unidos y Cuba mientras reorganizamos este canal vital para nuestros clientes. El gobierno de los Estados Unidos publicó la nueva norma el 27 de octubre del 2020, otorgando un plazo de gracia de 30 días para implementar las nuevas técnicas de las restricciones. Desafortunadamente, no hemos encontrado una solución en este plazo reducido.

Por más de 20 años, Western Union ha estado enviando dinero a Cuba de parte de nuestros clientes a sus familiares y seres queridos para cubrir sus gastos de alimentos, renta y demás, incluyendo microempresas. Lamentamos profundamente esta situación y su impacto para nuestros clientes.

Nuestros clientes cuentan con nuestro compromiso de que seguiremos explorando todas las alternativas posibles en busca de una solución. Si hay alguna novedad, informaremos de inmediato a nuestros clientes.

A continuación, se indican las fechas críticas para que los envíos de dinero sean cobrados en los más de 400 puntos de Agentes en Cuba. Estas fechas límite nos permitirán pagar las transferencias en Cuba antes de que entre en vigor la nueva norma el 26 de noviembre del 2020.

• 22 de noviembre del 2020, a las 11:00 PM hora del Este de los Estados Unidos: Última oportunidad para realizar envíos de dinero desde los Estados Unidos a Cuba.

• 23 de noviembre del 2020 a las 6:00 PM hora de Cuba. Fecha límite para cobrar envíos en los centros de Western Union en los puntos de venta de nuestros agentes en Cuba.

  • Estamos invitando a los receptores a recoger su dinero en los centros de Western Union en los puntos de venta de nuestros agentes en Cuba de inmediato.

• Reembolsos: Las transacciones que no sean cobradas en Cuba antes de la fecha límite del 23 de noviembre del 2020, los clientes recibirán un reembolso íntegro a través de su forma de pago original.

Encontrará información adicional aquí

Carta en inglés: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/a-letter-to-our-cuba-customers/

Preguntas frecuentes en inglés: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/sending-money-to-cuba-from-the-united-states/

Carta en español: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/es/cuba-una-carta-a-nuestros-clientes/

Preguntas frecuentes en español: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/es/enviar-dinero-a-la-republica-de-cuba-desde-estados-unidos/

---------------------

November 13, 2020

WESTERN UNION MEDIA STATEMENT

Today we informed our customers they have limited time to send money to their loved ones from the U.S. to Cuba, due to a new U.S. Government rule that will take effect on November 26, 2020.

We have been working around the clock to explore every possible option to keep our services open between the U.S. and Cuba as we recognize this is a vital channel for our customers. The U.S. Government published the new rule on October 27, 2020, and provided 30 days for technical implementation of the new restrictions. Unfortunately, we have not found a solution in the limited timeframe.

For more than 20 years, Western Union has been moving money to Cuba on behalf of our customers. to family and loved ones to pay for food, rent, and other expenses including micro-businesses. We sincerely regret this situation and its impact on our customers.

Our customers have our commitment that we will continue to explore every possible option to find a solution. If there are any developments, we will inform our customers immediately.

The critical deadlines for money transfers to be collected from more than 400 Agent locations in Cuba are outlined below. These deadlines will enable us to pay out transfers in Cuba before the rule takes effect on November 26, 2020.

• November 22, 2020, at 11:00 PM U.S. EST: The final opportunity to send money from the U.S. to Cuba.

• November 23, 2020, at 6:00 PM Cuba Time: The deadline to pick up money at Western Union retail agent locations in Cuba.

  • We are encouraging receivers to pick up at Western Union retail agent locations in Cuba immediately.

• Refunds: For transactions that are not picked up in Cuba by the November 23 deadline, customers will be refunded in full through their original payment method.

Additional information is available here

English letter: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/a-letter-to-our-cuba-customers/

English FAQs: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/sending-money-to-cuba-from-the-united-states/

Spanish letter: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/es/cuba-una-carta-a-nuestros-clientes/

Spanish FAQs: https://www.westernunion.com/blog/es/enviar-dinero-a-la-republica-de-cuba-desde-estados-unidos/  

Statement By Fincimex Posted To Facebook

And Now The United States Congress Will Have Ten Members Focusing Upon Cuba Issues

On 3 November 2020, New York State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (64th District) defeated Representative Max Rose (D- 11th, New York). The following exchange using Twitter confirmed her connectivity with issues relating to the Republic of Cuba.

Gabriella Hoffman
@Gabby_Hoffman
Nov 4
There are two new GOP members who grew up under socialism. Cuban-born @CarlosGimenezFL and Ukrainian-born @Victoria_Spartz . And two children of Cuban immigrants — @NMalliotakis and @MaElviraSalazar. Us descendants of folks who fled socialism have much to rejoice. Love it

Nicole Malliotakis
@NMalliotakis
Nov 12
US House candidate, NY-11
An anti-socialist squad is forming...

From The New York State Assembly Biography: Nicole Malliotakis was first elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, defeating a two-term incumbent. She is the daughter of immigrants, her father from Greece and her mother a Cuban exile of the Castro dictatorship. Nicole currently represents a district spanning the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. She was the first Hispanic-American elected from Richmond County. She was re-elected to her third term in November 2014 with an overwhelming 73 percent of the vote.

From the office of the Representative-elect: “Her mother is Cuban and fled the country in 1959..her father emigrated from Greece in the early 60's ..the Congresswoman-elect refers to herself as an American of Greek & Cuban parents....” and the Representative-elect “has spoken about a being a member of [the]” Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus.

Representative-elect Malliotakis is expected to seek membership in the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Conference, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus among others.

Ten (10) Cuban-American members of the United States Congress, three (3) in the United States Senate and seven (7) in the United States House of Representatives, consisting of two (2) members of the Democratic Party and eight (8) members of the Republican Party, will likely oppose most efforts by the Biden Administration to alter Trump Administration policies impacting the Republic of Cuba and Venezuela.

United States Senate
The Honorable Ted Cruz (R- Texas)
The Honorable Marco Rubio (R- Florida)
The Honorable Robert Menendez (D- New Jersey)

United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Albio Sires (New Jersey; D- 8th)
The Honorable Alex Mooney (West Virginia; R- 2nd)
The Honorable Anthony E. González (Ohio; R- 16th)
The Honorable Mario Díaz-Balart (Florida; R-25th)
The Honorable Carlos Gimenez (Florida; R- 26th)
The Honorable Maria Elvira Salazar (Florida; R- 27th)
The Honorable Nicole Malliotakis (New York; R- 11th)

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What The Biden Administration May Do With Cuba (And Venezuela Has A Role)
November 09, 2020