Juan Omar Sixto, leader of the Cuban-American National Chamber of Commerce (CANCC), is confident that Cuba could achieve its liberation before the year's end. This conviction led him to establish a commerce chamber in exile last April, aiming to channel substantial investments into the island once a genuine political transition occurs.
During a conversation with Tania Costa for CiberCuba, Sixto shared that about three months ago, he felt something unprecedented: "I have the impression that for the first time in 67 years, Cuba will experience a productive outcome of liberation."
Driven by this belief, Sixto reached out to Dr. Jorge Suárez Menéndez, a Miami-based Cuban-American plastic surgeon and entrepreneur, proposing the creation of a business meeting space.
The response was swift: Suárez Menéndez offered his 15,000-square-foot oceanfront property— "it feels like you're in Havana," Sixto described—as the venue for these foundational meetings, with one simple condition: "I provide the house, and you bring your friends."
Building a Network of Influential Entrepreneurs
Sixto was clear from the start about the profile he sought: "I want to initiate business meetings with the most prominent companies, not the most prominent individuals in exile." The outcome, as he acknowledged, exceeded expectations: "They are multimillionaires."
The CANCC assembles Cuban-origin entrepreneurs, many from Pinar del Río, with ties to sectors like tobacco and furniture.
An Entrepreneurial Legacy
Sixto's personal history reflects the organization's spirit: his father was the third-largest tobacco producer in Pinar del Río, with a farm named "Ibirico" confiscated by Fidel Castro's regime in the 1960s and declared Cuban Heritage.
Upon returning to the island in 2018, Sixto found total devastation: "Of the 13 tobacco houses, two tractors, 500 cattle, and mango plantations, nothing remained, Tania, nothing. There was only a dilapidated house."
Strategic Plans for Cuba's Future
The chamber has already held two meetings and plans a third on July 22. Its three-year work plan includes specific projects: establishing a stock and commodities exchange in Havana, creating a financial institute to train stockbrokers, developing a mixed public-private healthcare model, and implementing a phased architectural and infrastructural reconstruction plan.
Sixto, who spent three years at Merrill Lynch in New York, gathered 10 to 15 entrepreneurs on Wednesday to start designing this stock exchange in Havana.
However, all this capital has a non-negotiable condition. The CANCC operates under Title II of the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, requiring its members to engage solely with private Cuban entrepreneurs unaffiliated with the regime.
Firm Stance Against the Cuban Regime
In response to economic reforms announced by Miguel Díaz-Canel, including opening up to diaspora investments, Sixto was adamant: the CANCC views them as mere bait without real guarantees.
The organization's stance is unequivocal: "Until there is a transitional government, the Chamber of Commerce will not invest a dollar. We will not set foot in Cuba."
This rejection takes place against a broader backdrop: According to expert Roberto Fernández Rizo, the political transition in Cuba began on January 3, 2026, with the DEA's capture of Nicolás Maduro, which cut off Venezuelan oil supply to the island on January 9, exacerbating an energy crisis with power outages over twenty hours daily.
Sixto estimates that rebuilding the country will require between $200 billion and $400 billion, considering the extensive destruction accumulated after decades of dictatorship.
Key Insights into Cuba's Potential Liberation
What is the Cuban-American National Chamber of Commerce's main goal?
The CANCC aims to facilitate massive investments into Cuba, contingent upon a genuine political transition, by assembling influential Cuban-American entrepreneurs.
Why does the CANCC oppose current economic reforms in Cuba?
The CANCC considers the reforms announced by the Cuban regime as superficial without offering real guarantees, hence refusing to invest until a transitional government is established.
What financial projects does the CANCC plan for Cuba?
The CANCC's plans include creating a stock exchange, a financial institute for training brokers, a mixed healthcare model, and a phased reconstruction plan for Cuba.