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Trump Administration forces Marriott out of Cuba

Monday, 8 June 20203 min read
Trump Administration forces Marriott out of Cuba

Marriott International says the Trump Administration is forcing the company to shut down operations in Cuba.

Starwood Hotels, which was later acquired by Marriott, became the first US company for six decades to open a hotel in Cuba after relations were normalized by previous President Barack Obama.

The US Treasury Department asked Marriott to close operations of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Havana by the end of August.

It will not be able to open other planned hotels in Cuba, Reuters reports.

"We have recently received notice that the government-issued licence will not be renewed, forcing Marriott to cease operations in Cuba," Marriott told Reuters.

The hotel is owned by Gaviota, a tourism organization with close ties to the Cuban military.

The Trump Administration has been trying to apply pressure on US firms doing business with entities controlled by Cuba’s military.

It has led to the halting of all cruise ship calls to Cuba and a significant reduction in scheduled flights from US airports.