WESTERN UNION SHUTS DOWN 407 OUTLETS IN CUBA

Western Union closed its 407 locations across Cuba, a sanctions-driven move that will leave thousands bereft of remittances on an island that depends heavily on them — or force them to use less reliable ways to bring in money, Andrea Rodriguez and Danica Coto reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The closure of offices that have operated for more than 20 years in Cuba resulted from a barrage of sanctions that the administration of US President Donald Trump imposed while courting conservative Cuban-American voters in Florida ahead of the Nov. 3 election. “The problem is not the closure of Western Union, but that Western Union is practically the only US-to-Cuba provider of remittance payments,” said Manuel Orozco, director of the Center for Migration and Economic Stabilization at Creative Associates International, a development-oriented advisory firm in Washington, D.C. “The impact will be felt.” Granma, the Communist Party’s official newspaper, said Monday that the closures hit the safest way to send money to Cuba for those who cannot travel frequently to the island or don’t want to rely on third parties.

While Cuba doesn’t publish figures on remittances, economists estimate it receives billions of dollars a year and Orozco said that roughly half comes from the US and 20 percent of the overall total through Western Union. Some Cubans said they were taken aback by the imminent closures despite the sanctions being announced in late October. Eighty-two-year-old retiree Luis Nuñes said he found out when his son called him on Sunday night and deposited $200 for him.

Many lamented the closures and the need to find less convenient or more costly alternatives. “We have other ways because there are private services that take it to your home ... but it’s not the same,” said Esperanza Piñeda, a 62-year-old retired teacher. Family and friends abroad can still use other banks, agencies and small informal businesses to send money to people Cuba, or relay it through visitors travelling to the island through Havana’s airport, which reopened this month. They’ve even used cryptocurrency, noted Cuban economist Omar Everleny Pérez.