Bye bye Cuba
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Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
Puts him in league with Bill Cosby and Bill Clinton. We should call him Bill Trump.
gne in prog
Well-Known Member
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/16/politics/donald-trump-cuba-hotel-competitors/index.html
Miami (CNN)The proposed changes in US-Cuba relations that President Donald Trump will unveil Friday in Miami could adversely impact hotel brands that directly compete with Trump's business empire, making it more difficult for them expand their foothold in Cuba.
Trump's changes in Cuba policy include prohibiting "financial transactions, including transactions incidental to travel with GAESA and its affiliates, subsidiaries, and successors," according to documents reviewed by CNN. Gaviota, the tourism arm of the government-run GAESA, currently operates the Four Points by Sheraton Havana, a hotel that, when it opened, was the first US hotel to open in Cuba in nearly 60 years.
GAESA, the company directly targeted by Trump's plan, controls large swathes of the Cuban economy and is run by Gen. Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, Raul Castro's son-in-law.
Even Americans traveling legally to Cuba, according to the new Trump policy, would not be able to stay in any hotel connected to the Cuban military, including the Four Points by Sheraton in Havana.
The Trump proposal would include exemptions to this policy, but none appear to include hotels like the Sheraton or future projects.
Trump told CNN in 2016 that he was interested in opening a hotel in Cuba "when we're allowed to do it." But Trump's company pledged before his presidency that they would not pursue any foreign deals while he was in the White House, putting off any possible entry into the Cuban market.
But the decision to prohibit business with GAESA to direct tourists to private companies and AirBnB is an example of Trump's ability to impact his business' competitors while in the White House. Trump's prohibition, in effect, puts other hotel companies on equal footing with his personal company -- not allowed to pursue future business in Cuba.
Starwood, which merged with Marriott last year, manages the Sheraton Hotel brand. Marriott President Arne Sorenson told reporters that the Trump administration should "recognize and utilize travel as a strategic tool in its efforts to improve relations with Cuba, allowing us to be part of a promising future, as opposed to reverting to the policies of the past."
He noted that the hotel company has "invested significant resources establishing a presence in Cuba, and with one hotel open and another in the pipeline, we have just begun our work creating opportunity and a more vibrant tourism sector on the island."
Sorenson added that it would be "exceedingly disappointing to see the progress that has been made in the last two years halted and reversed by the administration."
White House officials told reporters on Thursday that the new regulations would not affect current licenses for hotels and was not meant to "disrupt existing transactions that have (already) occurred." The detailed regulations are slated to rewritten by the Treasury Department.
The goal of this policy proposal, according to a fact sheet on the plan, is to push the "Cuban government to expand the development and availability of more lodging, transportation and entertainment options for US travelers by allowing the Cuban private sector space to grow and flourish."
The policy has been embraced by anti-Castro Republicans, including Sen. Marco Rubio, who has long pushed for tougher relations with Cuba and decried former President Barack Obama's 2014 thawing of relations with the Castro regime.
"(Trump's) objective is to support the Cuban people by driving US visitors to small business they own so they can become independent of regime," the Florida Republican tweeted Friday. "That is why no direct transactions will be allowed with the businesses owned & operated by the military monopoly or its affiliates."
He added, "Individual Americans can travel to #Cuba under Support for the Cuban people category but must use privately owned lodging like AirBnB."
Rubio will attend Friday's speech by Trump on Cuba.
BigZ
Well-Known Member
gne in prog
Well-Known Member
There's a lot about the current political situation that doesn't make sense to me. I could see it though if it hurts a competitor of his.
Let's just say if you got mugged downtown, you tell the front desk where you were and a basic description of the thug and magically, the next morning, your rubles, passport and any other belongings "magically" show up in a manila envelope.
Might have even been in the layover guide back in the day about the "procedure", not sure though.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
Because it was a policy that was both helping American interests and the Cuban people, and indirectly weakening the often corrupt bureaucracy remaining in Cuba.
I've been there, as part of an international sporting event (which would have likely been legal anyway) that resumed after the thaw in relations. That regatta happened this year for the first time since 1959. After this, it probably won't happen next year. Most Americans going to Cuba are staying in private accommodations (Airbnb and bed & breakfasts), and eating a private Cuban restaurants. This is good for us, really. More wealth and influence in the hands of individual Cubans weakens the more troublesome positions of the government there over time.
I went off the beaten path and spoke with plenty of locals - they have awfully close ties to Florida, imagine that. American visitors are still a drop in the bucket economically, but symbolically it is a substantial thing.
Closer relations with Cuba benefit us greatly - specifically with drug interdiction, which is a big deal here. Asking the Cuban government to unilaterally change is not going to work. It hasn't in the last 60 years, there is zero reason to think it will now. Normalized relations and free travel will change sentiment over time. It did in Vietnam. It did, and continues to in China.
I understand that a lot of you think this is common sense because more American money somehow means less problems for Cuban people but I can assure you more is at play here.
First, the Cuban government is getting a huge chunk of your money whether you are staying at a private residence or eating at a private restaurant. Communist cronieism runs deep and you never know who that low-level worker you're dealing with knows in the regime.
Second, Cuba is a communist dictatorship. While I understand we aren't in the Cold War anymore they are still economic enemies. They violate human rights and starve their people right on our doorstep. Many people argue that this reason alone is a good enough reason to inject American money into their economy but Cuba is not Uber: you're not putting 80% of what you spend in that persons pocket.
Third, and probably the reason why Trump did this, is that Cuba has pretty robust trade with North Korea. This is likely a strategic maneuver to hamstring some of the illegal weapons that are making it to North Korea.
First, the Cuban government is getting a huge chunk of your money whether you are staying at a private residence or eating at a private restaurant. Communist cronieism runs deep and you never know who that low-level worker you're dealing with knows in the regime.
Second, Cuba is a communist dictatorship. While I understand we aren't in the Cold War anymore they are still economic enemies. They violate human rights and starve their people right on our doorstep. Many people argue that this reason alone is a good enough reason to inject American money into their economy but Cuba is not Uber: you're not putting 80% of what you spend in that persons pocket.
Third, and probably the reason why Trump did this, is that Cuba has pretty robust trade with North Korea. This is likely a strategic maneuver to hamstring some of the illegal weapons that are making it to North Korea.
Screaming_Emu
Well-Known Member
Except they have. It's better to believe in fairy tales that Russia somehow brainwashed American citizens to vote Trump so that the leaders of the Democrat Party don't have to own up to how limited their popularity is than to accept that Hillary was a horrible candidate.
After he tore up the TPP and went after NAFTA since being elected tell me again how much he'd lose states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Hell the NYT admit that Trumps pretty much the best president the Steel Industry could ask for.
http://archive.is/Ed6vt#selection-1167.0-1171.0
Hell you've got the president of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, saying the Trump administration has been better on trade than Obama ever was. Was he too hypnotized by shirtless Putin?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq6FOW7JEjo
Go out and elect some better, populist democrats that stand for the base of the party and they won't lose elections. Corporate democrats aren't doing any of us favors.https://archive.is/o/Ed6vt/www.steel.org/
D
Deleted member 21509
Guest
Because of their trade with NK? Lets look at the list of countries that also engage with North Korea.....CHINA, India, the Philippines, Pakistan. Do you see us cutting any of them off? To say this has anything to do with human rights or trade is a joke.
ppragman
No pasa nada.
This image is something I'd expect to see on a parody magic the gathering card.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
My bad... I meant countries that aren't the exact same as the US. And going for work doesn't really count.
How many of them are probably smuggling weapons that we can do anything about? Don't get it twisted, this isn't the only reason. It's just a reason.
ian
Well-Known Member
you seem rustled
ian
Well-Known Member
because trump did it, you are supposed to be mad at anything he does because thats all the rage.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
Well, so does China. More than half of North Korean trade is with - you guessed it, China. Where we have also have abundant travel and trade. So I would doubt that is really a reason at all.
Most Cuban trade is with Canada, The Netherlands China and Venezuela. I doubt North Korea amounts to anything material at all.
A
Adler
Guest
Meh, the only thing the Obama policy and visit did was fix a few roads that they knew he'd be driving on, and cause the arrest hundreds of homeless to keep the illusion of clean streets. Anyways with Cuba now a forbidden fruit again, your still not missing much. From my travel notes:
Cuba: they say that once the embargo is lifted, this place will change dramatically, but I don't really think it matters. Besides old cars and cheap rum, there really isn't anything special about this country. Try to get a legit local's experience and you're stuck waiting in long lines at cafeterias that have probably long ago ran out of whatever it is you're trying get. Leave the slums, and you'll find street after street filled with white people, selfie sticks, rows of gift shops, expensive restaurants with $20 hamburgers, and scammers trying to rip you off. Any interesting museum charges tourist 300 times higher. If a Cuban man talks to you, there's a 98% chance he's trying to scam you. If a Cuban girl talks to you, there's a 100% chance she's a hooker. And cigars, good luck finding something authentic and not marked up for tourists.
Cuba: they say that once the embargo is lifted, this place will change dramatically, but I don't really think it matters. Besides old cars and cheap rum, there really isn't anything special about this country. Try to get a legit local's experience and you're stuck waiting in long lines at cafeterias that have probably long ago ran out of whatever it is you're trying get. Leave the slums, and you'll find street after street filled with white people, selfie sticks, rows of gift shops, expensive restaurants with $20 hamburgers, and scammers trying to rip you off. Any interesting museum charges tourist 300 times higher. If a Cuban man talks to you, there's a 98% chance he's trying to scam you. If a Cuban girl talks to you, there's a 100% chance she's a hooker. And cigars, good luck finding something authentic and not marked up for tourists.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
Plenty of local cigars to be found, about 20 for a dollar or so if I remember correctly. Now, anything you would think of as high quality would be the same price you would pay in Canada or Spain. Not really a coincidence, as the company making all of them, Habanos SA, is largely owned and controlled by Imperial Tobacco in the UK.
The locals I spoke to were all pretty happy to see us there, but we were also well outside of Havana. For the most part, they all had family in Florida they kept in touch with.