Foreign investors are fleeing Cuba amid escalating U.S. sanctions, but a network of Washington and Florida-based insiders—including lobbyists, exiles, and business associates—is capitalizing on the crisis by offering high-stakes advisory services and positioning themselves to exploit potential opportunities in Cuba’s economy, particularly in sectors like tourism, mining, and finance. While major corporations have withdrawn over fears of secondary sanctions, these insiders are navigating the restrictive measures to secure influence over Cuba’s key assets, betting on future political shifts. The U.S. government has made clear there are no exemptions to its aggressive pressure campaign, yet the vacuum left by departing businesses has created a niche market for those with deep ties to policymakers. For those tracking Cuba’s economic and geopolitical future, the article examines how a select group is profiting from the island’s isolation—even as sanctions tighten.
Washington and Florida insiders are exploring lucrative deals for a post-communist Cuba crushed by ever-increasing US sanctionsSpanish hotel chains. A Canadian mining firm. European shipping giants. Visa and Mastercard. Scores of foreign companies have been driven out of Cuba this summer over fear of being hit with potent, new secondary sanctions. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, told Axios last month there are “no escape valves” from his unprecedented pressure campaign against the island.But not everybody is losing out. A growing cast of Washington and Florida insiders – from billionaire Trump cronies and Rubio-linked lobbyists to Cuban exiles – are jockeying for control of the communist-ruled island-nation’s key assets, charging top dollar to help clients navigate the ever-expanding web of sanctions, and positioning themselves for lucrative business opportunities in the case of regime collapse. Continue reading...
