Meliá, Iberostar and Barceló exit Cuba operations as US sanctions hit tourism ministry
The broadcast covers the July 2026 withdrawal of three major Spanish hotel chains—Meliá, Iberostar, and Barceló—from Cuba, effective around July 24 for the largest. It attributes the exits to expanded Trump administration sanctions banning transactions with Cuba's tourism ministry and links them to a six-month US fuel blockade. Segments include a Cuban deputy foreign minister quote rejecting US control, Havana street interviews expressing concern over lost tourism income, and references to a UN-described grave humanitarian crisis. The report speculates on raised stakes for potential US military intervention.
Source: Al Jazeera English