MANY SECTORS CONTROLLED BY MILITARY

Posted on Sun, Aug. 06, 2006

MANY SECTORS CONTROLLED BY MILITARY

Some of the businesses run by the Cuban armed forces:

• Gaviota, which controls about 30 hotels, or a quarter of Cuba's hotel
rooms. It's run by Brig. Gen. Luis Enrique Pérez.

• Aerogaviota, a domestic airliner that handles tourist flights from
Baracoa Military Air Base. Incorporated as a private company, it's
staffed completely by military personnel and is under the direction of
Col. José Manuel Borges Vivó.

• Sermar S.A., which controls the exploration of all Cuban waters and
operates shipyards for all naval repairs. The company also searches for
sunken treasures from capsized Spanish ships, and it is under the
direction of Capt. Luis Beltrán Fraga Artiles.

• Almacenes Universal S.A., which controls domestic and foreign trade
and operates several tax-free-enterprise zones in Wajay, Mariel,
Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.

• Morro-Cabaña Historical and Military Complex, an umbrella company for
all historic military museums and monuments, which is run by Col. Hermán
Washington.

• Sasa S.A., which runs the automobile sector and repair shops that
specialize in both light and heavy equipment. It also controls a
nationwide gas station network.

• Cimex, established in 1978 with 80 businesses and subsidiaries
throughout Cuba, including import/export, free-trade zones, tourism,
transportation, digital communications equipment and car rentals.

• Cubanacán: Tourism

• Tecnotex: Import/export

• Almest: Tourism, real estate

• Antex: Technical assistance

• Agrotex: Agriculture and cattle

• GeoCuba: Map-making, real estate, mining

• Union of Military Industry: 230 factories and companies; about a third
of its work is for civilian enterprises.

• Habanos S.A.: Exclusive distributor of Cuban cigars

• Electronics Group: Supervises numerous enterprises, among them
Copextel S.A., a technology holding company

SOURCE: cubapolidata.com and the University of Miami Cuban Institute for
Cuban and Cuban-American Studies

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/special_packages/fidel_castro/15209502.htm