The invitation to Cuban exiles to do business in their homeland has been made repeatedly by the government over the years but so far has produced few tangible results. Cuban exiles, Oliva Fraga said, would for the first time be able to openly own businesses on the island, invest in large-scale infrastructure projects, and hold bank accounts with state-run banks. Many Cuban exiles say that Havana’s own tight restrictions on foreign investment severely limit business opportunities and that routine transactions take years under Cuba’s communist bureaucracy. “Taking Cuba, that’s a big honor,” he said. “It’s something we wish for,” González said of Trump’s promise to exiles that they will be able to return to the island.

Source: Egypt Independent March 17, 2026 09:15 UTC