Who Or What Is Delaying Western Union From Authorizing Commercial Transfers From U.S.-Cuba And From Cuba-U.S.? Biden? Diaz-Canel? MSME's Waiting With U.S.-Based Companies And Entrepreneurs

The Biden-Harris Administration Maintains Its Policies Support The Private Sector In The Republic Of Cuba. 

  • Why Then Is Western Union Not Permitting Commercial Transactions From The United States To The Republic Of Cuba?

  • Why Then Is Western Union Not Permitting Commercial Transfers From The Republic Of Cuba To The United States?

If Biden-Harris Administration Is The Problem- Why And What Is Required To Change Its Position?

If Diaz-Canel-Valdes Mesa Administration Is The Problem- Why And What Is Required To Change Its Position?

Effective Engagement With Republic Of Cuba MSME’s Must Have Monies Moving In Both Directions.

The Commercial Transfer Maximum Limit Should Be US$25,000.00 Per Transaction.  No Commercial Minimum Transfer As That Would Discourage MSME Usage.

An Opportunity To Move Past Benign Neglect And Bilaterally Stupid.

In 2023, after nearing three years, Denver, Colorado-based Western Union Company (2022 revenue US$4.5 billion) recommenced electronic transfers from the United States to the Republic of Cuba through an agreement with Republic of Cuba government-operated Orbit S.A. which in February 2022 received authorization from the Central Bank of the Republic of Cuba as a “non-banking financial institution to process money transfers.”  Electronic transfers may be sent from more than 4,400 locations in the United States “receivers with bank and debit card accounts” at these three Republic of Cuba government-operated financial institutions:

Banco Popular de Ahorro
Banco Metropolitano S.A.
Banco de Credito y Comercio (Bandec)

Western Union Company and Orbit S.A. have not yet authorized electronic transfers for commercial transactions by Micro, Small, and Medium-size Enterprises (MSMEs) and to authorize U.S. Dollar electronic transfers from accounts in the Republic of Cuba to recipients in the United States.

In April 2023, Republic of Cuba government-operated financial institutions again accepted U.S. Dollar currency deposits.  “It is very useful for us as a company and more than now we need a lot of capital injection to face the crisis with the purchase of professional machinery.  This gives us the possibility of having currency input that currently could not be exchanged into currencies other than USD.”  Owner of an officially-registered MSME located in the Republic of Cuba and owned by a Republic of Cuba national.  

Wholesale marketplaces are re-opening in the Republic of Cuba, some constructed and operated by companies located in Argentina, Italy, Spain, and potentially Russian Federation, where owners, managers, and employees of MSMEs may purchase inputs.  The existence of a wholesale marketplace for MSMEs is a required component for a private sector- the distance between the price of a product purchased by an MSME and the price of the product and service produced and sold by the MSME is the profit- which hopefully the government of the Republic of Cuba will not seek to tax and fee to minimize as such would harm the ability of MSMEs to expand- both revenue and employees. 

On 10 May 2022 the Biden-Harris Administration (2021- ) through a two-year license issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury authorized the first direct investment in and direct financing to a privately-owned company in the Republic of Cuba owned by a Republic of Cuba national.  The OFAC license application was submitted on 10 June 2021.  

On 17 November 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration approved a license application submitted on 22 October 2022 by Columbia, Maryland-based Premier Automotive Export, Ltd. (PAE) to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the United States Department of Commerce to export electric vehicles and chargers to republic of cuba nationals with the “ULTIMATE CONSIGNEE: Privately owned companies in the Republic of Cuba owned by Cuba Nationals.”  The BIS license is valid until 30 November 2026.  

Home Delivery For Electric Scooters To Cuba: As Biden-Harris Administration Expands U.S. Export Opportunities, A U.S. Company Responds Quickly To Customer Requests. Next Correspondent Banking? December 04, 2022 

  • Potential customers of PAE have inquired about installment payments for the purchase of EVs.  As monthly payments would be minimal in value, the cost for sending the funds through a third country financial institution would be larger than the installment amount.  Flexibility to provide installment payments will further enhance the cashflow of an MSME and further connect the MSME with the United States-based company.  

Representatives of Western Union Company, Orbit S.A., OFAC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba (MINREX), and United States Department of State need to soonest engage or if necessary, re-engage to forge an operational blueprint to that MSME transactions may use electronic currency transfers from the United States to the Republic of Cuba and from the Republic of Cuba to the United States. 

The joke is the status quo continues to enhance profitability of financial institutions located in third countries… 

Astonishing that inserting a third party into a two-party process continues to be a rational policy jointly promoted by officials- career and political in Havana and Washington DC.  However, they can applaud the existence of bilateral thinking on something- even if it only serves to reinforce stupid... or a twenty-first century version of benign neglect.

LINK TO COMPLETE ANALYSIS IN PDF FORMAT