Cuba to suspend Visa and Mastercard transactions, citing US sanctions

By Dave Sherwood and Kylie ‌Madry

June 3 (Reuters) - Cuba ​will ​suspend Visa and Mastercard transactions starting June 6, its central bank said on Wednesday, citing sanctions imposed by the ‌United States that in recent days have led a swath ⁠of foreign businesses to sever ties with the Caribbean island.

Cuba's central bank said a ‌foreign partner that had previously ‌processed credit card transactions for Cuba had decided to limit operations following a U.S. executive order on May 1 that vastly broadened ​sanctions on commerce with Cuba.

"As a result of this decision, Cuba is unable to receive income from the sale of goods ⁠and services through internationally recognized cards such as VISA and MASTERCARD," the central bank said in ​a statement.

The order is another blow to Cuba's economy and already decimated tourism industry, as the Trump administration ​ratchets up sanctions in a bid to ‌upend the island's Communist-run government.

Credit card transactions have historically been handled by a foreign bank and Fincimex, S.A., ⁠a financial arm of GAESA, a military-run conglomerate targeted with sanctions by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The United States accuses GAESA of secretly ⁠hoarding profits from the country's most valuable industries — including tourism, financial transactions, remittances and ​logistics — and using them for the benefit of the military and Cuban elite.

Cuba denies those claims and says GAESA has contributed openly to the nation's economic and ‌social development.

The Trump executive order has prompted an exodus of businesses from Cuba in recent weeks, including ‌foreign hotel companies, airlines and global shipping firms, as investors distance themselves ⁠from island institutions sanctioned by ‌the U.S.

Neither Visa nor ​Mastercard immediately responded to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Dave Sherwood and Kylie Madry, Editing by Daina Beth Solomon, ‌Rod Nickel)

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