A bank branchWells Fargo in the west of the cityHialeah unexpectedly froze the accounts of a Cuban permanent resident in the United States and his wife, a citizen of American origin.
“My husband went to deposit his check and the bank told him that he could not put money in or take out money from the account because it had been frozen,” she explained in statements toTelemundo 51 one of the parties involved, who specified that they have been clients of that bank for seven years.
The banking entity required the citizen of Cuban origin - who has been a permanent resident in the United States since the 90s of the last century - who will present documents that will confirm their legal residence, including your residence card (green card) and your social security number.
Furthermore he had to sign a sworn statement in Spanish in which he had to ensure that he has no ties with the Communist Party of Cuba or with repressive organizations of the regime.
The statement also stated that he has no intention of returning to the island.
The incident occurred without prior notice on Friday of last week, according to the woman, who preferred to keep her identity anonymous.
The aforementioned media outlet specified that the guidelines of theUS Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), requires banks to verify the identity and immigration status of Cubans, as well as ensure that they have resided outside Cuba for at least two years and do not intend to return to the island.
However, such requirements have caused confusion and annoyance among some customers, especially those who have already proven their residency and who have been customers of the bank for many years.
Wells Fargo has not specified how many clients are subject to this process, nor the criteria for requiring the signing of the affidavit.
Although the couple's accounts were eventually unblocked and the bank remains in contact with them, the case raises concerns about the implementation of OFAC guidelines and their effects on Cuban residents in the United States.
As of the closing of this note, there are no other details about the singular incident.
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