One of the primary online platforms that Cubans in the United States have used to send money, food, and clothing to relatives in Cuba has halted operations. This move follows increased pressure from the Trump administration on the Cuban government.
The website Envioscuba.com has announced it will no longer take orders. This decision comes as multiple rounds of U.S. sanctions aim to cut off international support for Cuban businesses. Recent sanctions have targeted Cuba’s state-owned oil and gas company, President Miguel Diaz-Canel, and GAESA, a conglomerate managed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba.
Cubans are experiencing significant hardships, such as food and medicine shortages, frequent power outages, and intense heat. Many rely on family and friends in the U.S. for assistance. These relatives often send money and packages or buy products online for delivery in Cuba. While Envioscuba.com is not accepting new orders, it assured that previously approved orders in progress will be fulfilled.
“Due to reasons beyond our control, our platform can no longer provide services,” stated the website, without further elaboration.
Attempts to contact the company were unsuccessful. The website lacks a dedicated phone number or email address. According to Emilio Morales, president of the Havana Consulting Group, many platforms like Envioscuba.com operate directly with the Cuban government’s business arm, GAESA. They do not ship directly from the U.S. Instead, they sell and deliver goods stored in GAESA’s Cuban warehouses.
Morales anticipates that other similar platforms will also shut down to avoid sanctions related to business dealings with the Cuban government. Current sanctions could freeze U.S. assets of foreign companies and prohibit travel by their investors and employees, effectively limiting their U.S. financial activities.
As a result, the Spanish hotel chain Meliá has announced it will pull back from 15 of the 34 hotels it manages in Cuba. This decision aligns with a growing trend of companies with a longstanding presence in Cuba reducing or ending their operations on the island.