{"id":232569,"date":"2021-01-03T07:09:40","date_gmt":"2021-01-03T12:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=232569"},"modified":"2021-01-03T07:51:33","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T12:51:33","slug":"united-states-puts-banco-financiero-internacional-on-its-black-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba-usa\/united-states-puts-banco-financiero-internacional-on-its-black-list\/","title":{"rendered":"United States puts Banco Financiero Internacional on its \u201cblack list\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The United States announced this Friday the inclusion of Banco Financiero Internacional S.A. (BFI), on the \u201cblack list\u201d of Cuban companies with which Americans are prohibited from carrying out transactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed in a statement the new sanction, which <\/span>is part of an escalation of pressure<\/span><\/a> on the island before outgoing President Donald Trump cedes power on January 20 to the president-elect, Democrat Joe Biden.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBFI is a Cuban military-controlled commercial bank that benefits directly from financial transactions at the expense of the Cuban people,\u201d <\/span>Pompeo said in a statement<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The measure will become effective \u201cat the beginning of January,\u201d once the State Department publishes the updated version of the Cuba Restricted List on its website, Pompeo explained, without specifying a specific date.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Trump administration has tried to maximize pressure on the powerful military conglomerate Gaesa, which manages Cuba\u2019s economic jewels, such as tourism, trade and oil.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2016, Gaesa took over the reins of Banco Financiero Internacional, and since then \u201cuses BFI\u2019s key role in foreign exchange to give military and state companies preferential access, secure advantageous exchange rates, and finance government-controlled projects that enrich the regime,\u201d alleged Pompeo.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe profits earned from these operations disproportionately benefit the Cuban military rather than independent Cuban entrepreneurs, furthering repression of the Cuban people and funding Cuba\u2019s interference in Venezuela,\u201d said the Secretary of State.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Rechazo nueva medida punitiva del Departamento de Estado #EEUU<\/a> para recrudecer el bloqueo a #Cuba<\/a>.<\/p>\n

La inclusi\u00f3n de entidades en sus listas pretende reforzar un cerco econ\u00f3mico que no ha podido destruir la Revoluci\u00f3n Cubana en 62 a\u00f1os.<\/p>\n

— Bruno Rodr\u00edguez P (@BrunoRguezP) January 1, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n