The paradise beaches of Varadero are almost completely deserted. Donald Trump's tariff threats are hitting Cuba's tourism hard.

“Everything is starting to fall apart,” tourist guide Alejandro Morejon tells The Independent.

The turquoise waters and white beaches of Varadero usually attract crowds of visitors, but now it's eerily quiet.

Ever since Cuba warned of an acute shortage of jet fuel on February 8, the tourism industry has slowed down sharply, from the already low levels after the pandemic, reports the British The Independent.

Canceling flight

Major airlines such as Air Canada, Westjet and Air Transat have canceled flights to the island, totaling 1,709 flights through April. Cirium, an aviation industry research firm, estimates that the cancellation could reduce tourist numbers by hundreds of thousands. 

Russia, which constitutes the country's third largest foreign visitor group, also plans to cancel all flights until the fuel situation improves. 

The hotel industry is being hit hard. The NH Hotels chain has closed all of its Cuban properties, while the island's largest, Meliá Hotels International, has so far closed three of its 30 properties.

“There is total uncertainty. Everything is starting to fall apart,” tourist guide Alejandro Morejon, who has worked in Varadero since the 1990s, told The Independent.

Cuba's tourism sector is a central part of the country's economy and is now on track to become the first major domino to fall in United States of America:'s attempt to pressure the Cuban government into submission.

”Unsustainable situation”

President Donald Trump has declared Cuba an ”unusual and extraordinary threat” and cut off Venezuelan oil flows to the country, while threatening tariffs on other countries that do not do the same.

Economist Paolo Spadoni, working at Augusta University, warns of the consequences of Trump's harsh sanctions.

“A total collapse of tourism would create an unsustainable situation and threaten the survival of the economy,” he tells The Independent.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez in Moscow and called the US move "unacceptable.".

"Now is a special period, new sanctions. You know how we feel about this. We do not accept anything like that," Putin said, according to the state news agency Tass, adding that relations between Russia and Cuba are developing in a "positive direction."”

Source.Expressen.se