The economist Elías Amor warns that the military conglomerate GAESA is facing deliberate and systematic blows that could signal the beginning of its dismantling. He explained this during the fourth and final analysis program of Díaz-Canel's 176 economic measures broadcast on CiberCuba.
Amor describes the situation with a striking image: "They're taking swipes at GAESA, which I believe is a very good strategy." The economist points out, as a specific example, the recent transfer of companies from Mariel that operated under the name GAESA, including distributors, which have had to transfer to other shareholders.
That movement was not coincidental. On June 25, 2026, just two days after Washington sanctioned Almacenes Universales S.A. — the GAESA entity that controlled the container traffic in the Mariel Special Development Zone — GAESA officially sold the assets of the Mariel Container Terminal to Coral Marítima S.A., a company linked to the Cuban Ministry of Transportation.
Analysts and opponents describe the maneuver as a strategy to evade sanctions. Real control remains in the same circles of power, but the sanctioned entity disappears from the paperwork. GAESA has also withdrawn from its involvement in the Miramar Business Center, using civilian ministries as corporate frontmen.
Love warns that this is just the beginning: "This is going to happen a lot because GAESA's businesses are hyper-capillary." The conglomerate, controlled by the Cuban Armed Forces, dominates between 40% and 70% of the formal economy of the island, including hotels, ports, gas stations, foreign trade, and telecommunications.
For the economist, these transfers are not mere administrative restructurings, but rather high-stakes political messages. "That signals that very clear messages are being conveyed, which we might not hear because we don't have to hear them, but the situation is not stagnant."
The pressure on GAESA is part of a broader offensive by the Trump Administration, which since January 2026 has imposed more than 240 new sanctions against the Cuban regime. On May 7, 2026, under Executive Order 14404, Washington directly sanctioned the conglomerate and its president, Brigadier General Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, blocking their assets under U.S. jurisdiction.
Love connects all this pressure with the U.S. electoral calendar. "I am convinced that the elections in November, the so-called midterms, both Marco Rubio, who is very smart, and Donald Trump cannot proceed without a good assessment of the situation in Cuba," states the economist on his weekly program with Tania Costa.
The midterm elections will be held on November 3, 2026, renewing the entire House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate.
When a follower accused him live of being from the CIA, Amor responded with humor and firmness. "For many years, we’ve been accused of that a lot, and they also call me an optimist, but I just don’t want to look at reality with sad eyes."
The economist bases his optimism on historical experience. "Since the 1980s, when perestroika and glasnost took place, we imagined that Cuba [would change]," recalling that what seemed impossible eventually happened. Amor has consistently maintained this discourse: on April 30, 2026, he stated that "Cuba would be free before summer", and on May 29, he predicted surprises for the first days of June.
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