The Cuban Interests Section in Washington, D.C, informed the recipients of services provided by its Consular Office that, in spite of efforts being made since February 2014, it has not been possible to find a U.S. or foreign banking institution with offices in the United States or in a third country, to handle the banking needs for its normal operation and so that full consular services can be offered, a situation resulting from the increased financial persecution derived from the policy of blockade imposed by the U.S. government and the unfounded, unsustainable designation of Cuba as “a state sponsor of international terrorism.”
While still working towards a solution that allow for normalization of the work of its Consular Office, the Interests Section has decided to once more extend the provision of consular services until March 31, 2015, for renewal and extension of the validity of passports belonging to Cuban citizens who have made reservations to travel to Cuba. The aforementioned services will continue to be rendered, directly in the Cuban Consular Office in Washington D.C., via travel agencies with a working relationship with the Consular Office.
The Interests Section reiterated that services related to humanitarian situations will continue to be expedited and that, pursuant to the Cuban migration laws in force, Cuban citizens living abroad must be holders of valid passports to enter the national territory.
Let´s remember that this problem started on July 12, 2013, when the Bank M & T informed the Interests Section of Cuba in Washington its decision not to continue providing services to foreign diplomatic missions and gave the US Interests Section in Cuba and the Cuban Permanent Mission to the United Nations a limit to end the relationship and find a new bank to operate with.
At that time, the Cuban Interests Section announced the suspension of consular services from November 26, 2013 until further notice. On several occasions, Cuba has reiterated to the State Department that the US government has a legal obligation to ensure compliance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of April 24, 1963, stipulating that the host State must give every facility to diplomatic missions and consular posts for the exercise of their functions. It is also legally obligated to enforce the agreement of May 30, 1977 which established the interest sections in the two countries, as part of which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the letter of international treaties governing diplomatic and consular relations.
However, the US government has reiterated on several occasions that from last summer it has assisted Cuba in the matter and has reached over 50 banks to find a substitute for M & T.
M&T Bank informed last 7/12/14 that will terminate all services offered to all foreign embassies in the US, including the Cuban Interest Section. Regime’s well known history of financial irregularities and inadequate use of its bank accounts dissuaded all other banks of attending regime’s requests for opening another bank account.
After Iraq occupation US experts followed the rout of $3000 millions cash found in containers in that country. The rout led them back to Cuba and all this pointed to the existence of a money laundry ring. As result of this investigation several banks around the world had to pay fines; among these banks the USB Bank of Switzerland that had to pay $100 millions in fines because the irregular procedures found in Cuba’s banks accounts in this bank.
In the last months US Department of State has been working hard trying to convince the financial entities in the country to provide bank account services to regime’s embassy. Department of State even assured the contacted banks they will not apply sanctions of any type to the bank providing these services to Cuba.
So, the responsibility for this problem is not of the embargo as regime states and this site repeat but is the result of the lack of reputation of Havana regime and the bad use it historically has made of its bank accounts.