Cristina Lage Codorniú, the youngest daughter of former Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage Dávila, and her husband Orlando Alain Rodríguez Leyva lost their multiple-entry U.S. visas last Thursday, June 12, when the U.S. Embassy in Havana notified them of the revocation.
Sources with direct knowledge of the case confirmed the measure to Martí Noticias, noting that the State Department did not explain the reasons, citing its policy of not commenting on individual visa decisions.
The revocation comes months after it was revealed that the couple owns Group Tentacioones SRL, a luxury restaurant chain in Havana that includes the establishments Sensacioones, Woow, and Nao Habana, in addition to the food delivery service IFood.
The group employs more than 40 workers and operates some of the most exclusive restaurants in the Cuban capital, with prices in dollars that starkly contrast with the reality of the country. For example, a Galician Tomahawk exceeds 114 dollars, which is equivalent to more than half a year's worth of the average state salary in Cuba.
Until her visa was canceled, Cristina traveled frequently to the United States and Europe, according to sources consulted.
The company's website does not publicly identify its owners, although it describes its establishments as "the materialized dream of a family passionate about hospitality and the rich culinary heritage of Cuba."
Lage Codorniú holds a law degree and is a copyright manager. Neither she nor her husband responded to requests for comments made by Martí Noticias.
After the revelation of his gastronomic empire in December of last year, employee testimonies revealed that among the regular customers of the restaurants are members of the Cuban political and military elite, including Raúl Castro's grandson, known as "El Cangrejo," who demand that the security cameras be turned off upon entering.
The case carries a particular symbolic weight, as Cristina's father was for years the "czar of the Cuban economy" and one of the most powerful men in the regime. In March 2009, Raúl Castro swiftly dismissed him, accusing him of succumbing to the "temptations of power," and Lage published a letter in the official newspaper Granma accepting "mistakes" and promising to continue as a "soldier of the Revolution."
The measure is part of the tightening of Washington's policy towards the Cuban elite and their family networks. The Trump administration signed Executive Order 14404 on May 1, 2026, and imposed over 240 sanctions against the regime, including Miguel Díaz-Canel, Alejandro Castro Espín, and the military conglomerate GAESA.
An economist residing in Cuba, quoted anonymously by Martí Noticias, raised the underlying question of the entire case: "To what extent is this new generation of oligarchs expected to inherit not only the privileges but also the political and economic control of the island?"
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