Marzo 26, 2008
Wilfredo Cancio Isla. The Miami Herald, March 25, 2008.
The Cuban government has suspended the business licenses of 14 foreign firms for alleged illegal activities tied to state agencies controlled by GAESA, the powerful commercial consortium of the Cuban Armed Forces.
According to sources within the Ministry for Foreign Commerce and the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, the foreign commercial representatives were notified of the cancellation of their business licenses March 17 and 18, following an internal investigation that questioned alleged irregularities in the agreements established between the Tecnotex company and retail chain TRD Caribe, both under the administration of GAESA.
'There was an ‘explosion’ at Tecnotex for shady relations with foreign businessmen,' said an employee of the foreign commerce ministry who requested anonymity. “More than just friendships were proven to exist; there were some shady dealings.'
The commerce ministry employee added that, “the decision came from the highest level,” with instructions to act “quickly and energetically”.
Although a complete list of the foreign firms that have had their licenses revoked has not been made available, an individual employed by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce told El Nuevo Herald that two Italian companies, Agridea and Bella SRL, have been blacklisted.
Both companies provided merchandise to Tecnotex and TRD Caribe, among other government-controlled retailers.
The commercial representative for Bella SRL is Italian entrepreneur Humberto Bella, known to have broad relations among the commercial and financial sectors of Cuba.
Besides revoking the business licenses of foreign commercial companies, several employees and administrators of Tecnotex and TRD Caribe have been sanctioned, apparently on charges of corruption and trafficking in stolen merchandise.
Tecnotex is the main import-export company of the Cuban Armed Forces commercial sector and is led by Col. René Rojas Rodríguez. It has offices in China, where most of its business is conducted in the acquisition of replacement parts and accessories for automobiles, construction material, home electronics and computers.
TRD Caribe is a retail chain that consists of more than 400 locations offering items in cash throughout Cuba; and boasts annual profits that exceed U.S. $100 million.
The Cuban army's GAESA, or Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (Entrepreneurial Administration Group), is the corporate umbrella that covers a dozen national businesses. Since February it has been led by Major Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, the son-in-law of Raúl Castro. He is known for his career in Cuban finance.
Rodríguez assumed the leadership of GAESA after his predecessor, the Gen. Julio Casas Regueiro, 72, was named to replace Raúl Castro's as head of the Cuban army.
