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EnvíosCuba, one of the largest e-commerce platforms targeted at the Cuban market, has announced the suspension of its operations through a brief statement published on its website, without providing explanations about the reasons or clarifying whether the measure is temporary or permanent.
The message, which completely replaced the commercial interface of the platform, simply states that "due to circumstances beyond our control, our platform can no longer provide services." The company assured that it will fulfill all approved and ongoing orders, and bid farewell to its customers with a note of gratitude: "Thank you very much for your loyalty over the years. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you."
EnvíosCuba was not just an online store; it functioned as a commercial umbrella under which several specialized shops operated, including Puerto Envío, Electro Envío, Mercado, Carlos III, and Almacén-On, all equally outside the virtual space after the closure.
The platform was marketed as "the leading store for shopping and shipping to Cuba" and claimed to have more than 10,000 products, including food, appliances, hardware, and household items.
Its model was based on in-kind remittances: the emigrated family member paid for the products from abroad, and the recipient received them in Cuba, at prices unattainable for the average Cuban worker, whose salary barely reaches 11 dollars a month.
Behind the platform is NACTWS S.L., a company registered in Palma de Mallorca in November 2017, with a share capital of just 3,000 euros, wholly controlled by Sonia Álvarez Pérez as the sole administrator.
Investigations by Cuba Siglo 21 and CubaNet have linked the platform to the military conglomerate GAESA and the Cuban-Canadian businessman Vladimir Graverán Becerra, husband of Álvarez Pérez, who is identified as a central figure in the network of companies used to conduct e-commerce, remittances, and online sales associated with the Cuban Armed Forces.
The platform was part of CIMEX's e-commerce network, a pioneering company in currency collection in Cuba, which was absorbed by GAESA in 2011.
The shutdown occurred in a context of strong U.S. pressure on the Cuban economic-military framework.
President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14404 on May 1, 2026, expanding sanctions against individuals and entities linked to the Cuban state apparatus. GAESA was formally sanctioned on May 18.
A few days later, Visa and Mastercard ceased operations in Cuba following the breakup of a foreign processing bank with FINCIMEX, the financial institution of GAESA responsible for processing remittances and international payments.
The closure of EnvíosCuba occurred days after the expiry, on June 5, of the grace period established following the new sanctions, although the company has not clarified whether there is a direct connection between these events and the suspension of its services.
The operations of Visa and Mastercard have been suspended as of June 6, one of the main payment mechanisms used by thousands of Cubans abroad to make purchases on platforms like EnvíosCuba.
Other platforms targeting the same market—Supermarket23, Katapulk, Cubamax, and MallHabana—are still operating for the time being.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, described GAESA as "a State within the State" that controls assets valued at around $18 billion and nearly 70% of the Cuban economy. "Today, Cuba is not controlled by any 'revolution.' Cuba is controlled by GAESA," Rubio stated in a message addressed to the Cuban people.
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