HAVANA (AP) — It’s impossible to miss. The huge rectangular mass of concrete and glass — the tallest building in Havana — dominates the city skyline, towering 150 meters (490 feet) above colonial homes with its 542 luxury rooms and majestic views of the city and the sea.
The Selection La Habana hotel, managed by Spanish chain Iberostar.
The Selection La Habana hotel, managed by Spanish chain Iberostar, has yet to be inaugurated but it is already the target of criticism — and not only for its unusual shape. Cubans are questioning the government’s allocation of millions of dollars towards luxury tourism while the island grapples with a severe economic crisis and tourism numbers plummet to historic lows.
“All that money could have been spent to build hospitals and schools,” lamented Susel Borges, a 26-year-old artisan, as she looked up to the towering edifice, known to locals as the “K and 23 building” because of its location.
Located near the legendary Habana Libre hotel and the iconic Coppelia ice cream parlor, the new hotel is part of a government plan to build a dozen luxury establishments — mainly in Havana — that did not stop even during the COVID-19 pandemic and while existing luxury hotels remained largely unoccupied.
For decades, tourism drove the Cuban economy, generating annual revenues of up to $3 billion. But in December, Cuban authorities said only 2.2 million tourists visited the island in 2024, a decrease of roughly 200,000 from 2023 and significantly lower than the 4.2 million tourists who visited in 2019.
The government attributes the decline in tourism to a “perfect storm” of factors including supply shortages, a severe energy crisis causing massive blackouts and a lack of personnel, due to emigration and low wages. Furthermore, the island is grappling with a surge in U.S. sanctions, including restrictions on travel by U.S. citizens, a ban on cruise ships and other measures specifically designed to stifle the growth of Cuba’s tourism industry.
“Tourism is gone,” said Julio García Campos, driver of a shiny red 1951 Pontiac with an original engine. “Tourists used to line up to get on one of these!” he said, recalling a bygone era when the island was bustling with American and European travelers following a removal of sanctions by then-President Barack Obama.
The new Selection La Habana, like all other hotels in Cuba, is state-owned and operates under GAESA, a conglomerate belonging to the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces that has often been criticized because of the opacity of its businesses. As a military-run operation, it is exempt from audits by the Comptroller General’s Office and has not disclosed the amount it invested in the 40-story hotel.
Cuban economist Pedro Monreal notes the “incongruity” of investing capital in the tourism sector when very little is being allocated to strategic areas such as agriculture.
"With food insecurity a concern, it’s troubling that agricultural investment lags significantly behind tourism investment, remaining 11 times lower,” Monreal noted last year on social media.
Architects also expressed little enthusiasm for the new hotel, pointing at its disruptive appearance within the environment, its excessive height violating urban regulations and tall glass windows that are ill-suited for a tropical climate.
“This building serves as a perfect example in our classes of what should not be done in terms of bioclimatic design,” said Abel Tablada, an architect and university professor, adding it's "unforgivable" that the little money available to the Cuban state has been allocated to a building that does not add value to the city.
(Source: AP)
Immigrants with family reunification processes from Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have had problems boarding their flights to the United States in recent days.
Hundreds of immigrants with family reunification processes from Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have had problems boarding their flights to the United States after the arrival of the new administration of Donald Trump.
"When we went to board the plane they told us to go to the U.S. embassy and that they would give us more information there but they wouldn't let us travel," said Olga Lidia Hernández, a beneficiary of the Cuban Family Reunification Program (CFRP).
“They told me that they had denied me permission to fly and gave me no further explanation,” he said.
Bárbara León, mother of Olga Lidia Hernández, told Martí Noticias through tears that she is desperate after the cancellation of the flight of her daughter and two granddaughters. “I've been waiting for this moment for eight years. I traveled to Cuba and they turned us away from the airport. They treated us very badly. We did our immigration processes well. It's not fair," he commented.
Under the Joe Biden administration, family reunification programs were modernized and a routine similar to that of Humanitarian Parole was established that allowed a flight permit to be obtained after the immigrant's facial scan without waiting for an immigrant visa to become available. Previously, beneficiaries of family reunification programs had to undergo a consular interview.
CFRP and other similar programs targeting Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were put into effect or modernized under President Joe Biden's administration. These processes are available exclusively by invitation to certain petitioners whose Forms I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) have been approved.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicates that once invited to the program, immigrants must submit a form I-134A (Online Application to Become a Support Person and Declaration of Financial Support) and if the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services United States (USCIS) verifies that this is appropriate, the Department of Homeland Security conducts a security investigation of each beneficiary and evaluates their eligibility for advance travel authorization.
“In the event that advance travel authorization is granted, the beneficiary may travel to the United States on a commercial airline and request a discretionary permit (Parole) for temporary stay at a port of entry within a United States airport,” adds the DHS.
After reaching the White House, President Donald Trump eliminated similar programs that granted parole to migrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti, as well as revoked the CBP One program that allowed migrants to schedule an appointment to request asylum in the United States.
Trump also revoked the travel of at least 10,000 refugees who were authorized to resettle in the United States, leaving numerous people stranded around the world. Among those affected, more than 1,600 Afghans are trapped in their attempt to escape the Taliban regime.
The Department of Homeland Security deferred to the State Department following a request for comment from Martí Noticias. The State Department returned a request for comment to its Homeland Security counterpart, who administers family reunification programs.
The Cuban Family Reunification Program was stopped for years after mysterious health incidents that left dozens of American diplomats affected at the US Embassy in Cuba.
A reliable source familiar with immigration processes who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal administration policies said that the new administration “is not happy” with many of the initiatives inherited from the Biden administration but that “there has been no made a final decision on family reunification programs.”
“Since January 20, when President Donald Trump took office, not a single beneficiary of these family reunification programs has arrived,” said another source with knowledge of the immigration processes.
Tito Alexander Martínez Guillén, a Salvadoran who had planned to travel to the United States yesterday with his wife and four children after selling his belongings and quitting his job, was stranded in his country.
“When we arrived, the airline told us that they had received a statement from Customs and Border Protection in the United States that they would not let anyone board who had processed their permits through the CBP One app, that they should go to the embassy, but there they told us that “They couldn’t do anything,” he said.
“Right now we have no way to go or anywhere to stay,” he added.
Section 9 of the executive order introduces expedited removals, applicable to those who have been in the country for less than two years
When searching for a specific individual, ICE can arrest other undocumented individuals who are in the same location. (© USA Today)
The raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have officially begun under the Donald Trump administration, Fox News announced in the last few hours.
The main target is the more than 700,000 migrants with criminal records and final orders of deportation who are on the records of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). However, nationwide there are an estimated total of 1.3 million people who have deportation orders,
including thousands of Cubans with I-220A or I-220B.
President Trump repealed deportation priorities set forth by the Biden administration, which focused on specific cases involving national security, public safety, and serious crimes. Under the new guidelines, anyone undocumented in U.S. territory can be deported, regardless of whether their infraction was minor. This leaves a large group of migrants exposed to immediate deportation processes.
In addition, the raids are generating "collateral damage." By searching for a specific individual, ICE can arrest other undocumented people who are in the same location, placing them in removal proceedings as well.
In conversation with journalist Daniel Benítez, immigration attorney José Guerrero warned about the groups that face the greatest risks:
- Migrants with criminal records and final orders of deportation, who are the main target.
- People in detention centers, who still have limited legal possibilities to appeal their cases.
- Those who illegally cross the border, now closed after a declaration of national emergency that allows automatic deportations without the option of asylum.
The recent executive order requires Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ICE, and Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work together to prioritize deportations. CBP controls the borders, ICE executes deportations and USCIS administers immigration benefits, but now these agencies must coordinate efforts to maximize the efficiency of operations.
Section 9 of the executive order introduces expedited deportations, applicable to those who have been in the country for less than two years. This procedure allows ICE officers to issue deportation orders without judicial review, significantly speeding up processes. While enforcement will depend on the cooperation of countries of origin to receive their citizens, this measure promises to facilitate mass deportations.
The Cuban regime threatened to re-arrest political prisoners who had been released early if they fail to meet the "requirements." Humberto López is once again at the center of another chapter of terror directed at civil society.
pic
The Cuban regime issued new warnings to the recently released political prisoners under the benefit of early release, stating that they could be detained again if they do not meet the imposed requirements.
These statements were made on Friday during the state-run television program "Hacemos Cuba", which in its latest episode addressed the "National Exercise for Prevention and Confrontation of Crime and Social Indiscipline."
During the program, Colonel Danisét González Sánchez, head of the Information and Analysis Department of the General Directorate of the Revolutionary National Police (PNR), confirmed that meetings were held with individuals on parole, which even included high-ranking government officials.
“In the case of the meetings with criminal elements, individuals who are already under police surveillance were drawn in. Moreover, individuals who are currently enjoying the benefit of early release were also brought to these meetings,” explained González Sánchez.
The presenter of the program, Humberto López, took the opportunity to ask what had happened to some of the attendees of those meetings, who had not returned home.
"You tell me if I am right or not. I was told that in some places they called some who went to the meeting and didn't return home. Is that true, is it correct? Can they do that, is it legal? Why? What is the purpose of this action?" López asked with malicious eagerness.
The coronel responded: “Regarding those who were detained, I can tell you that there were sufficient elements indicating that they had violated the requirements under which they were granted benefits for those behaviors.”
"In the exercise, the intention was aimed, as part of the prevention activity, to exert greater influence and control over individuals displaying maladaptive behavior in the community, but also over those prone to committing crimes," added the PNR officer.
Veiled threats and police surveillance
According to González Sánchez, the regime maintains strict surveillance over individuals released under the benefit of early release, as well as those considered likely to commit crimes.
"People who are already under police surveillance were drawn to these meetings," González stated, justifying the arrests by arguing that "there had been a whole prior stepped-up effort involving the police, the family, community factors, and prevention groups."
This intimidation strategy is part of a broader tactic by the Cuban government to control the opposition and civil society.
Cuban authorities have intensified their rhetoric and actions as part of the anti-corruption campaign promoted by Miguel Díaz-Canel, which has resulted in the detection of tax violations amounting to 72 million pesos, the , and the closure of hundreds of private businesses across the island.
In recent weeks, the regime has intensified its repressive actions, with more than 3,300 arrests and summary trials, according to recent reports.
The exercise of prevention has also been used as a tool to discredit activists and opponents. Through state television, the regime has attempted to associate dissent with criminal activities and has intensified its rhetoric against those who denounce the situation in the country.
In the broadcast of "Hacemos Cuba," it was emphasized that control operations will remain active and that conditionally released individuals can be detained again if they do not comply with the strict conditions imposed.
"These individuals who had not managed to change their behavior were arrested and charged with the crime of disobedience," stated the representative from MININT invited to López's program, a government-supporting host known for defaming and discrediting activists, as well as intimidating independent civil society.
The airing of the ill-fated program last Friday reflects the regime's growing concern about social discontent and its intention to maintain strict control over opponents and the general public.
Although the "National Exercise for Prevention and Counteraction Against Crime and Social Indiscipline" took place in early December 2024, it was not until Friday that the Cuban regime devoted television airtime to it, intentionally highlighting the threat of a return to prison for those political prisoners granted early release, who began to be released in mid-January 2025.
The threat of new arrests for those released on early parole confirms the government’s strategy of repression and intimidation as mechanisms of social control.
Despite official efforts to project an image of order and legality, independent reports and civil society complaints continue to expose the reality of a country marked by political persecution and a lack of legal protections for its citizens.
The U.S. Coast Guard is deploying naval resources along the border with Cuba, following Trump's orders to strengthen security and curb irregular migration and drug trafficking.
The U.S. Coast Guard initiated an immediate deployment of naval assets at the maritime border with Cuba on Tuesday, in response to executive orders issued by the White House under the new administration of Donald Trump.
This movement, which according to the USCG aims to strengthen security in the waters near the island and other key areas, is part of the new president's promises to curb irregular migration and drug trafficking in the international waters bordering the U.S.
Linda Fagan, the first female admiral of the U.S. Coast Guard, was dismissed by the Trump administration on Monday without explanation.
Fagan, a commandant admiral who was the first female uniformed leader of the Armed Forces branch in U.S. history, was relieved of her duties by acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman.
Adm. Kevin Lunday, the former vice commandant of the Coast Guard, will serve as acting commandant in the meantime.
Admiral Kevin Lunday, acting commander of the Coast Guard, stated in a statement that the agency "is the world's foremost maritime safety agency, vital for protecting the maritime borders of America, its territorial integrity, and sovereignty."
"According to the president's executive orders, I have instructed my operational commanders to immediately deploy assets—cutters, aircraft, vessels, and deployable specialized forces—to enhance the presence of the Coast Guard, focusing on key areas," he stated.
The specific areas of focus include the southeast border of the U.S., extending into Florida, in order to deter and prevent massive migration from Haiti and Cuba.
The maritime border around Alaska, Hawai’i, and the U.S. territories, including Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Also the maritime border between the Bahamas and southern Florida and the southwestern maritime border between the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific.
And the maritime boundary between Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lunday added that these efforts are being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense of the United States with the aim of detecting, deterring, and disrupting illegal migration, drug trafficking, and other terrorist or hostile activities before they reach our borders.
This deployment comes as part of a broader series of measures announced by the Trump administration to tighten border control.
The new acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Benjamine Huffman, also confirmed this Tuesday the start of a new phase of raids against undocumented migrants, focused on those with criminal records.
The new policies include the revocation of the Biden administration's guidelines, which limited the enforcement of immigration law in sensitive areas such as schools and churches, as well as the cancellation of the humanitarian parole program, which had allowed the temporary entry of more than 1.5 million migrants from countries like Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua.
The humanitarian parole program will be replaced by a case-by-case assessment, which could further complicate legal access to the country for thousands of migrants.