Western Union announced the suspension of its money transfer services to Cuba with immediate effect, generating uncertainty and concern among the Cuban community.
The company has not provided an estimated date for the resumption of the serviceThe government press on the island laments, leaving thousands of families without a crucial way to receive remittances from abroad.
A new chapter in the interruption of remittances to Cuba
This is not the first time Western Union has suspended operations in Cuba. The company resumed its service in May last year, after an interruption in 2020 during the Trump administration. At the time, the suspension was attributed to sanctions against the financial company Fincimex, as part of the U.S. "hard-line" policy toward the island.
Two years later, in 2022, the service was reestablished with limitations, but was again interrupted due to technical problems in Cuba. The recent suspension has provoked various reactions, both in Cuba and abroad.
Mixed reactions to the suspension of Western Union
The Cuban state press has described the suspension as "a turn of the screw by the U.S. government in its irrational hard-line policy towards the island", highlighting the negative impact it will have on "countless Cuban families".
For their part, some Cubans have expressed their frustration and concern on social networks. José Valdés commented: "To think that some time ago it was inadmissible and against revolutionary principles to have contact with the evil Empire and now they almost beg them to send remittances and invest".
Others, such as Richel Leyva Suarez, have questioned the effectiveness of dollarization in Cuba: "They only need a law prohibiting the dollar in Cuba for you to see where dollarization is going to end up".
Liberato Cimarrón proposed to look for alternatives for sending remittances: "Let them look for ways of sending remittances, but let GAESA not take a cent, it is enough of paying into the military coffers".
The future of remittances to Cuba in uncertainty
The suspension of Western Union leaves many Cuban families with the need to look for other options, as they depend on remittances to cover their basic needs.
"Western Union has made the decision to suspend its money transfer services to Cuba, effective immediately. At this time, there is no definite time frame for the resumption of our service, nor is there any certainty that it will occur. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause," the remittance agency responded to one of our editors.
KEEP THE MLC, RESPECT THE ONES YOU SEND US, EITHER EUROS OR DOLLARS; I HAVE A VERY SICK SON WHO NEEDS THEM TO BE ABLE TO BUY FOOD AND EVERYTHING FOR HIM.
KEEP THE MLC, RESPECT THE ONES YOU SEND US, EITHER EUROS OR DOLLARS.
I want dollars not MLC which is an abuse, leave it to you.
I want dollars not MLC which is an abuse, leave it to you.
The writer of this article should be better informed about the origin of the suspension and not say so many inconsistencies.
For what it's worth Wuest remittances and nothing is the same in targets when there is nothing to compral only people solve with cash if Hera for it would never have reestablished the service.
That they don't send anything to give you MLCs that are useless.
What an abuse of Cubans.