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Companies
Note 1 : this list does not take into account actions undertaken by the USA since the vote of the Toricelli and Helms-Burton bills.
Note 2 : most of the events mentioned here do not concern an occasional purchase of goods but rather large market agreements which were turned down. The term "refusal to sell" means "did not obtain the licence" or "after undertaking pressures"...
Note 3 : this is not a complete list, but only examples
Embargo or blockade? For the still undecided, Cuba released the following list that charts the trail of broken transactions with companies from around the world, stopped in their tracks by Washington's no-trade policy with Cuba.
(Listed by country)
- ARGENTINIAN FIRMS
- Medix
U.S. Treasury Department refused to issue license to allow the company to Sell Cuba spare parts for the machine that cleans dialysis machines and spare parts for System 4 ultrascan used in the treatment of ophthalmological conditions.
- BRAZILIAN FIRMS
- Vickers Inc. November 1989
Told Cuba that they could not quote prices for hydraulicpneumatic components because they were prohibited from selling to Cuba.
- Gates Export Corporation of Brazil January 1990
After completed negotiations on "V" transmission belts, the company told Cuba they were in no position to make a price bidding because they are considered a U.S. enterprise and outlawed from trading with the island.
- Woodword October 1990
After the Cuban enterprise Marpesca requested a price quote on shipbuilding materials, Woodword replied that they were prohibited from supplying a bid as the company was a U.S. subsidiary and banned from selling to Cuba.
- Hoechst
June 1990
Refused to sell Cuba plastic resins on the grounds that 80 percent of the manufactured product originated in the United States and that the company's request to sell to Cuba had been turned down by the Treasurv Department.
- Embraer
May 1991
Treasury Department prohibits the sale of five cargo planes to
Cuba, arguing that the planes contained U.S.-made components.
The newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reports that the U.S.
Treasury Department decision helped push the company into
financial debt.
- Dorr-Oliver Vrasil
May 1992
When Cuba went to restock filters, company officiais said they were prohibited as a U.S. subsidiary from dealing with the island.
- CANADIAN FIRMS
- Ayerst Laboratories
June 1985
U.S. Treasury blocked products destined for Medicuba, including
colyrum, which prevents gas and chemical damage to the eyes.
- Cooper Tool
August-September 1984
Cancelled signed contracts #19-8065-11 and #19-0322-11 for
delivery of tools.
- General Electric of Canada
July 1986
Refused to seIl Cuba the book "Subway electrification" because the subsidiary felt it was prohibited from having trade contact with Cuba.
- Federal Pacific Electric of Canada
August 1986
Refused to export fuses because they were of U.S. origin.
- Vulcan-Hart Canada Inc.
August 1986
After contract #64582 was drawn up, company said it could not
supply equipment for commercial ranges because of U.S. origin.
- Andrew Antenna
September 1986
The company decided after signing contract #69006-103 for the sale of electronic equipment that it would be impossible to obtain a U.S. Treasury Department license to export the products.
- Do-All Canada Inc.
October 1988
Declined purchase order for metal-cutting tools that originated in
the United States.
- Federal Pacific Electric of Canada
May 1990
After signing contract #97736, refused to make delivery on fuses on
the grounds that they were of U.S. origin.
- Simonds Industries
June 1990
Refused to fill order for U.S.-acquired wood cutting tools.
- Pepsi Cola Canada Ltd.
May 1991
After accepting an order from Regor International for 29,000 cases of soft drink, company refuses to fill it upon learning that the product is destined to Cuba. The company continues its refusal even after being the subject of a reprimand issued by the Canadian Trade Ministry. That censure, written on June 7, 1991 and signed by R. H. Davidson, director general of the Ministry's Latin American and Caribbean Bureau, stated: "As we understand the situation... at a meeting on May 17, 1991, Mr. Saint Germain of Regor was told by Mr. Sbrollini, regional manager of Pepsi Cola Montreal, that the order would not be filled where Cuba was the ultimate destination and that this decision resulted from discussions between senior officials of Pepsi Cola Montreal and the U.S. head office of Pepsi Cola. It was later suggested by Mr. Sbrollini that the price quotation was wrong and that a considerably higher (and uneconomical) price would be required for the order to be processed... Canadian goverment policy, which we would expect to be supported by companies incorporated in Canada, favors trade in non-strategic goods with Cuba. The Canadian goverment has also consistently opposed the extraterritorial application of U.S. trade policy towards Cuba, either directly by the U.S. government or through U.S. parent corporations. As such, the possible interference by the U.S. head office of Pepsi Cola in this matter, resulting in the cancellation of a Canadian export order, would be a matter of considerable concern."
- Hercules Canada Inc.
May 1991
After trading with Cuba, the firm communicated that they could no longer continue doing business with the island because 80 percent of the basic component of the cellophane Cuba was interested in buying was now coming from the United States. The firm also noted that they had requested permission to continue sales to Cuba but had been turned down.
- Hobart Canada Inc.
May-June 1991
Cancelled an order through the Canadian Commercial
Corporation for airplane kitchen equipment.
- Servispec Prolux
June 1991
After successful negotiations with Cuban enterprise
Consumimport for the sales of industrial light bulbs, Servispec
noted on contract "U.S.-origin merchandise is prohibited."
- Conval Quebec
August 1991
Responded to the Cuban enterprise, Cubaequipos, that they were in no position to bid on an order for electrical supplies and regulators because the products of the Canadian firm originate with the U.S. company American Switch Co, Ltd.
- Nedco
August 1991
Refused to supply material for electrical installations on the
grounds that the products are of U.S. origin.
- Furnes Electric
August 1991
Refused to quote a price for electrical accessories as products are
of U.S. origin.
- SquareD
August 1991
After doing business with Cuba for years, the company surprised
Cuban officials by announcing that they could not ship electrical
switches to the island because the firm is a U.S. subsidiary.
- Diamond Canapower
September 1991
Refused to quote a price for boiler components because aIl products
of U.S. origin.
- Lennox Industries
October 1991
Told Cuba that as a company owned 100 percent by the U.S. parent, Lennox, the Canadian subsidiary was instructed to obey the trade embargo against Cuba and could not sell the island industrial refrigeration equipment.
- Dow Chemical Vickford Industries
1991
Told Cuban buyers that they needed to request price quotings on material needed in the production of phone cables directly from main office in the United States.
- Loctite Canada Inc.
1991
Cancelled three signed contracts to supply glue for motor couplings, after learning that the destination was Cuba.
- FRENCH FIRMS
- CGR Thompson Group
The U.S. Treasury Department refused to issue license to this U.S. subsidiary of General Electric to sell Cuba spare parts for x-ray equipment widely used throughout the island.
- GERMAN FIRMS
- Siemens AG
U.S. Treasury Department refuses licenses to company to sell Cuba Gamma Cameras, a piece of equipment used in nuclear medicine to determine pathologies and, as such, saves the patient surgery; Ultrasound with Color Doppler, 51-1200 Sonoline used to diagnose cardiovascular diseases; Magnetic Nuclear Resonance System used to determine pathologies that cannot be found through other means.
- ITALIAN FIRMS
- Dow Chemical Co. Ltd.
1991
The Italian group which had regular trade with Cuba sold the production line of resins used in water treatment to Dow. Because of this, they said they were now under Dow instructions and that the parent company had issued orders not to sell to Cuba.
- JAPANESE FIRMS
- Toshiba Corporation
U.S. Treasury Department refused to issue license to allow the sale of SSH-65A Ultrasound with Color Doppler, a piece of diagnostic equipment for cardiovascular diseases. The company was also prohibited from selling Neuropack IV Potential Recalling Equipment used to study neuro-physiological pathologies.
- MEXICAN FIRMS
- Crouse-Hinds Domex
October 1984
Refused to give price quote for iron connections used in electric
installations because the product is not manufactured locally. The company is a U.S. subsidiary.
- Industria Fotografica Interamericana, S.A.
May 1991
As a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak the company stated that it could not sell Cuba photographic supplies because it was bound to adhering to the U.S. embargo of Cuba.
- Coca Cola, Mexico
Claiming that the company was bound to follow the letter of the embargo law, the subsidiary refused to sell Cuba 28,000 sodas for the Organizing Committee of the VI World Athletic Cup, meeting in Cuba in September 1992.
- Mexican Sugar Imports April 1992
The U.S. Treasury Department sought guarantees that Mexico would not sell Cuban sugar to the United States as part of a commercial accord between the two countries.
- SPANISH FIRMS
- Piher Semiconductors, S.A.
U.S. Treasury Department placed the company on a blacklist and sued it selling Cuba U.S.-made equipment for a semiconductor plant being built in Pinar del Rio. After agreeing to a settlement of $1 million in 1985, the company filed for bankruptcy two years later.
- SWEDISH FIRMS
- Alfa-Laval
May 1991
Medicuba placed an order for replacement cartridges for a Swedish-manufactured filtration system the company had previously sold to Cuba. The system contained filtration cartridges manufactured in the United States. The company was forced to cancel contract #l5-6-2-06772-418-R-5983 after the U.S. Treasury Department denied its application under U.S. Exports Administration Regulations, section 773.7.(b).(1), which prohibits the export or re-export of spare parts to Cuba. In a letter to Medicuba, Alfa-Lavai representative Tina Kristensen writes:
"We have now applied for a license from the United States government concerning possible export of U.S. originated membranes to you. We did what we could, but there seems to be nothing we can do in order to obtain the license. Enclosed please find material sent to us from Romicon, U.S., who led the investigation for us. Material (copies of the above law) which clearly states why we cannot export the goods to you. We therefore regret to inform you that we are obliged to turn down your order for replacement cartridges for Medicuba."
- Siemens Elena AB
U.S. Treasury Department refused to issue a license to allow the company to sell Cuba a Sicard 400 Intelligent Flectrocardiograph, used in detecting heart diseases.
- LKB Pharmaceuticals
U.S. Treasury Department refused to issue license to allow the company to sell Cuba laboratory equipment used to determine hormone and protein levels in the blood.
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