Not sure if there's a precedence for this in the 90s or not. Anyone recall if anything on this scale happened back then?
Andrés Pertierra
@andrespertierra.bsky.social
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Historian of Cuba and Communist systems. LatAm & Caribbean History PhD candidate at UW-Madison. U of Havana BA, UW-Madison MA. Bylines in The Nation Mag & Dissent Mag, among others.
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Though we lack an official reason for the measure, this explanation based on inference in the piece seems the most likely: the accounts are frozen because the money deposited in them was already spent, making this a sort of de facto forced loan
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Earlier this year a bunch of foreign companies had their bank accounts frozen indefinitely; they cannot take their money out of Cuba.
This measure has now been extended not only to foreign companies generally but even embassy bank accounts. Unclear when/if money will be back
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It's surprisingly common during the Cold War! Cuba was angry at the Soviets for trading with Junta Brazil in the late 60s when Cuba failed to meet its sugar quota, lots of countries were mad at China for agreements with Pinochet's Chile, etc.
And, of course, Cuba's pro-Russia stance now
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Great catch! Wasn't aware of that.
I'm not sure if you are up to date on my current project, but I'm doing Spain-Cuba from 1975-1999 (did MINREX archives). We should chat at some point! Very different periods but I'm sure you have more than a few bits of advice for looking at the Spain connection
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All of this does highlight, however, how Cuba and other socialist countries, along with many far right governments during the Cold War, could have surprisingly collaborative economic relationships in spite of all their political differences (eg. USSR & Brazil, China & Chile)
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Cuba was never Franquista, of course. As soon as it was clear that Juan Carlos I was going to back a democratic transition, Cuba was happy to see the Franquista diplomatic corps on its way out.
This was just a bit of realpolitik, the kind all states engage in when it matters
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The Spanish Ambassador, meanwhile, apparently spent the 'mourning' period driving around Havana and insisting the flags be lowered to half mast. Cubans would respond with bewilderment, acquiesce when they confirmed 'mourning', and then raise the flags when the Ambassador left
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The problem was that the announcement was meant to privately curry favor with the Spanish Ambassador but not be publicized. The problem was, of course the Ambassador (a Franquista) would crow about it.
Fidel later commented to Rubiales later 'you got us in quite a situation'
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So, Rubiales frantically called around to see who he knew in the government who would listen to him that he'd acted in good faith and even seen the decree personally. Finally, he reached an official who had checked the claim and confirmed that it was entirely legit
