Military-Controlled Cuban Companies Exposed by Leaked Documents

Recent leaks of internal documents from the military conglomerate GAESA (Business Administration Group of the Armed Forces) have unveiled the extensive business network under Cuban military control. This network spans critical sectors such as tourism, commerce, construction, transportation, banking, and real estate, among others. Published by journalist Nora Gámez in El Nuevo Herald, the investigation highlights how GAESA operates as a shadow economy parallel to the state, with numerous companies organized under various legal forms—from state enterprises to international economic partnerships and small private businesses (mipymes)—many of which operate away from public scrutiny and transparency.

A Secretive Military Enterprise Network

According to documents obtained by the newspaper, which include internal financial statements and corporate presentations, GAESA maintains a highly diversified business network that operates discreetly within and outside of Cuba. Collectively, these companies enable the military to control everything from tourism and remittances to food imports and oil sales.

The conglomerate encompasses traditional state companies and entities registered in tax havens, as well as new mipymes that may appear private legally but are under direct or indirect military control. While some of these companies were publicly known, many had not been identified as part of GAESA until the leaked documents were published.

Types of Companies Under GAESA

The documents categorize the entities into three groups: international economic associations, state-owned enterprises, and mipymes. Below is a list of the mentioned companies:

International Economic Associations

These entities operate under agreements with foreign partners, in mixed modalities, or through service contracts:

• Monte Barreto: Real estate company owning the Miramar Trade Center in Havana, in partnership with Ceiba Investments Ltd., registered in Guernsey.
• Azul Inmobiliaria: Manages condominiums in collaboration with the Italian company BD International.
• Logística Hotelera del Caribe (LHC): Based in the Mariel Special Development Zone, supplies hotels in Cuba with food and supplies.

State-Owned Enterprises Controlled by GAESA

These are traditional public sector entities operating directly under military structure:

• Military Historical Museums Complex: Manages sites like the Museum of the Revolution and the fortresses of El Morro and La Cabaña.
• Ecasol Oil Trading Company: Specializes in cooking oil sales.
• Marine General Services Company: No public data available.
• Integrated Project Management Mariel: Manages infrastructure projects in Mariel.
• Almest Real Estate Company: Invests in hotels.
• TRD-Caribe: One of the main chains of freely convertible currency stores (MLC).
• Aerogaviota S.A.: Airline focused on national and international tourism.
• Universal Warehouses S.A.: Handles logistics operations, especially in the port of Mariel.
• Antex Corporation S.A.: Hires doctors and manages businesses in Angola.
• Cubagro S.A.: Agricultural product importer/exporter.
• Oil and Gas Exploration and Extraction S.A.: Possibly linked to the former CUPET.
• Gaviota Tourism Group S.A.: Leading tourism company, epicenter of the foreign currency hotel sector.
• Caribe Real Estate S.A.: Offers rentals in prime areas of Havana.
• Maritime Services S.A.: Related to port operations in Mariel.
• Automotive Services S.A.: Sells cars and parts.
• Audit Services S.A.: Based in Miramar, Havana.
• Aries S.A.: Operates the cruise terminal in the port of Havana.
• Tecnoimport: Import company with a history of international lawsuits.
• Cementos Moncada: New cement plant in Santiago de Cuba, announced as an investment project in 2021.

Mipymes Linked to GAESA

Although the Cuban government promotes mipymes as part of an "economic opening," these documents reveal that some operate under TRD Caribe, indicating direct links to GAESA:

• Caribe Surl Import Agency (TRD)
• Grafo Caribe Surl Advertising (TRD)

Both are registered as mipymes but are part of the commercial enterprise ecosystem linked to MLC stores.

The CIMEX Case: Military-Controlled Commercial Power

One of the standout names in the documents is CIMEX, the largest holding of the military conglomerate. This corporation controls businesses in key economic areas: stores, banks, gas stations, logistics companies, cafés, real estate, and even technology firms.

In 2020, CIMEX operated 668 gas stations across the country and consisted of 41 companies, according to an internal report cited by El Nuevo Herald. Among the companies listed under Cimex are:

• Cimex Mariel: Producer of Cubita and Caracolillo coffee.
• Fincimex: Manages remittances and international cards.
• Cimex Real Estate S.A.
• Zelcom S.A.: Free zone near Havana.
• Tarará Residential S.A.: Dedicated to property rentals.
• Aster S.A.: Technology company with a presence on social networks.

Additionally, CIMEX's legal director, Mali Suris Valmaña, revealed in a judicial statement that CIMEX belongs to Corporación CIMEX, S.A., registered in Panama, confirming the use of offshore structures to manage state assets away from national and international scrutiny.

Sanctioned Companies... and Others Not Yet

GAESA and several of its companies—such as CIMEX, Fincimex, and Gaviota—are sanctioned by the U.S. government for their connection to the Armed Forces and their role in the repression of the Cuban people. However, other companies mentioned in the documents are not yet sanctioned, which could allow them to continue operating with relative freedom abroad or through intermediaries.

The leak of these documents confirms that the Cuban economy is deeply militarized, with dozens of key companies under the direct control of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces through GAESA. From hotels to gas stations, real estate, airlines, financial services, and exports, the military leads most of the productive apparatus in Cuba. This centralized and opaque control model has allowed a small group to concentrate economic and political power, while the majority of the population faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in decades.

The existence of "private" mipymes within the military framework and the operation of companies in tax havens are evidence of a system designed to shield the regime's economic control, even amid sanctions and internal collapse. The Herald's investigation, based on 22 leaked internal financial documents from 2023 and 2024, also revealed that the Cuban military controls more than $18 billion in liquid assets, representing more than the international reserves of countries like Panama or Uruguay.