This Cuban Entrepreneur Can’t Visit U.S. Because Of “National Security"?

TRANSCRIPT

Greta Tilán is a Cuban entrepreneur with a thriving small business in Havana. She sells natural cosmetics she makes herself in Cuba. But she helped grow her business by visiting 

the United States.

“I traveled to the United States for the first time in 2022. The visa I was granted at that time 

was the J1 visa, which is a visa for students. I was at a company similar to mine, where I learned how to develop products, about the company’s different operations and how the company was managed. I also traveled to the United States with a B1/B2 visa,” says Greta Tilán, CEO of Tilán.

“With that visa, the times I’ve traveled, I’ve brought back some products in very small quantities that helped me grow my business. I went to the U.S. when the business was growing, and brought back a small machine that helped us make our oils,” adds Greta

Greta can no longer obtain the tools she needs for her business in the U.S. Trump’s travel ban stops Cubans from going to the U.S. on student or business visas.

It’s supposedly intended to protect U.S. national security. The reality is it’s impacting people who are building bridges between the two countries.

“There used to be opportunities for entrepreneurs, opportunities for growth and development.

They no longer exist. All the laws that are currently in place make any process much more complicated and more expensive than it would be if the U.S. laws against Cuba didn’t exist,” says Greta.

During Obama’s diplomatic opening, trade and travel between Cuba and the U.S. expanded.

Many Cuban entrepreneurs went back and forth to help build their businesses in Cuba.

“The Obama era was a time of great prosperity for the country, because tourism increased.

There were many businesses, and that made many things easier. All the laws that Trump implemented were quite radical. He closed the embassy. The lines of communication were cut off,” says Greta.

Under Biden, travel to the U.S. became easier.

“The United States has made everything much more difficult. The embargo imposed on Cuba 

prevents other countries from trading with Cuba. For example, if I’m Cuban and I go to any other country in the world to open a bank account so I can do business, I can’t because the 

U.S. government doesn't deal with banks that have accounts for Cubans. That really limits 

the development of the private sector in Cuba,” adds Greta.

“[U.S. policies] could put the development of my business at risk and not just my business, 

but many other projects I want to develop that are connected with people in rural areas

and even with other businesses. We’re watching closely to see what might happen and how it will affect us even more,” says Greta.