The Cuban-American architect Willy Bermello, founder of Bermello Ajamil & Partners, revealed that he is leading an already organized private consortium to secure the concessions for the eight major airports in Cuba as soon as a regime change occurs on the island.
Bermello described it as his most immediate dream, saying that after designing the Trump Presidential Library in Miami, "right now it is Cuba." He stated this in an interview with Tania Costa, in which he detailed the structure of the consortium and the conditions that must be met to activate it.
"We have organized a preliminary consortium, it's like an alliance, where we have different pillars," explained the architect, who noted that the group has been working quietly for several months.
The first pillar is a concessionaire company for airports based in Buenos Aires, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and managing 58 airports worldwide. Alongside this company is a private equity fund described by Bermello as one of the three largest in the world, a construction company that is a subsidiary of a public firm in which 25% of the owners are Cuban-Americans, and an executive from American Airlines, the airline with the most operations from Miami.
The legal team includes attorney Nicolás Gutiérrez, an expert in the 1940 Cuban Constitution and in the mechanisms of property transfer in Cuba. Individuals close to Cuban-American Congressman Carlos Giménez are also collaborating, who has taken a firmly pressing stance against the regime and has publicly warned that investing in Cuba without political change is madness.
The plan involves securing long-term concessions for the eight terminals to finance the necessary investment. "Our idea is to obtain long-term concessions, which is essential for repaying the debt from the investment that would need to be made through the eight main airports in Cuba," Bermello specified.
The four priority airports are José Martí (Havana), Varadero, Holguín, and Cayo Coco. The other four are Manzanillo-Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara-Abel Santamaría, and Camagüey.
The immediate goal would be to allow American airlines such as American, United, and Delta, along with international carriers like Avianca, KLM, Alitalia, and Air France, to operate in all those destinations. Bermello referred to it as the initial spark for the economic reconstruction of Cuba, followed by the rehabilitation and construction of hotels and housing.
However, the consortium will not take action until three conditions are met: a stable legal framework in Cuba, support from the United States government, and a regime change. "We are already in serious conversations but without pulling the trigger. Why? Because change has not yet come to Cuba," he stated.
Architect Willy Bermello confirmed that he has already been notified by the Department of State. "The idea is to make them aware that there is an organized group regarding the airport issues that can move very quickly to enter and start making the necessary improvements."
Bermello, who arrived in Miami at the age of nine in 1960, hopes that post-transition Cuba will operate under the 1940 Constitution with amendments. His assessment of the current situation is striking: "Nowadays, there is no justice, nowadays there are no laws. Today, what exists is a plantation run by the Castro brothers."
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