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The main Spanish hotel chains with investments in Cuba have decided to adopt a position of silence and caution in the face of the increasing political pressure from President Donald Trump regarding the Caribbean island, according to statements from their representative in the sector.
Amid a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty following the escalation of international tensions, the president of the Mallorca Hotel Federation (which includes major chains with interests in the Caribbean), Javier Vich, confirmed that, so far, companies have not expressed concern or made public statements regarding their situation in Cuba.
"We do not have direct information from the chains. The only thing I can say is that the chains have not made any statements for now. There is currently no concern and we do not have any further information," Vich told OK Diario during the International Tourism Fair in Madrid.
The hotel sector in Mallorca—one of the Balearic Islands of Spain—has a solid presence in the Cuban market.
Some of the largest chains in the Spanish tourism sector with Mallorcan capital, such as Meliá, Iberostar, Grupo Piñero, Barceló, Roc, or Blau, own nearly 70 establishments with Mallorcan capital operating in various tourist destinations on the Island.
Despite this significant business investment, companies have chosen to exercise caution and refrain from making public comments until Washington finalizes its potential new policies or measures against Cuba.
The concern lies in the fact that following the shift in U.S. focus towards the region, which includes warnings about political or economic interventions against Havana, there could be impacts on the legal and operational security of foreign hotels.
A complicated past with Trump
Mallorcan hoteliers have previously faced confrontation with U.S. policies.
In 2019, during Trump's first term, parts of the Helms-Burton Act were activated, legislation that allows lawsuits against companies operating on properties confiscated in Cuba, resulting in a clash between investors and the U.S. administration.
That year Meliá faced its first lawsuit in the United States under that law, accused of trafficking in properties seized by the Cuban regime. The Cuban-American Mata family filed the class action lawsuit in a federal court in South Florida.
The decision to wait for Trump to "make a move" is driven by the perception within the sector that potential policy changes towards Cuba—especially following the capture of Nicolás Maduro—could determine the future of these investments.
For now, hotel operations continue "normally" in the Caribbean nation, but operators remain on the lookout for events that could disrupt the political and economic context.
International tourism in Cuba, a crisis that seems endless
The focus on caution occurs within the context of the international tourism crisis in Cuba, where hotels operate with minimal staff, experience power and water outages, and food is scarce.
Meliá Hotels International itself revealed that in 2024 there was a decline in management fee income in Cuba, which represented a loss of approximately 5 million euros.
"In Cuba, the situation remains complicated, with no clear signs of improvement in supply issues and energy shortages. The coverage and impact of the news have negatively affected the tourism sector," acknowledged the executives of the chain.
In this context, hoteliers in Mallorca with interests in the Island prefer to maintain a strategy of public silence, evaluating the actions of U.S. foreign policy before making statements that could impact their business or relationships in Cuba.
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