The Cuban-American entrepreneur Frank Cuspinera Medina, founder of the popular supermarket Diplomarket, known to many as the "Cuban Costco," has been on a hunger strike for two weeks in a solitary cell at the Combinado del Este in Havana. The protest, which began on June 1st, has alarmed his family and generated deep concern in the private sector of the Island.
“It’s not good”, a source close to Cuspinera assured the news portal 14yMedio, requesting to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. According to this testimony, the 48-year-old entrepreneur suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, conditions that worsen his health and increase the risk of permanent damage if he continues to go without food.
Cuspinera, who also refused liquids during the first few days, recently took “a little water”, although she remains firm in her decision not to eat until, as she stated, justice is served in her case.
Since his detention in 2024, he is being investigated for alleged crimes of tax evasion, currency trafficking, and money laundering, although his defenders claim that the process is arbitrary and filled with irregularities.
On May 21st, Cuspinera sent a handwritten letter from prison, in which he denounced the lack of legal guarantees in his process and requested the intervention of international organizations and the U.S. Department of State.
In the text, he criticized the State Security and the Cuban judicial system, which he accused of fabricating charges without granting him the right to an effective defense.
Penitentiary authorities have allowed Cuspinera to make phone calls for his relatives to persuade him to end the hunger strike, the source told 14yMedio.
They even added that they tried to organize a "family dynamics" with his wife, Camila Castro, who is also under investigation for the same crimes. However, the strategy failed: Camila went to prison, but he could not see her.
“They wanted to carry out the family dynamics without even knowing her emotional profile, just to comply with an institutional protocol and leave a record in the file,” the source commented to 14yMedio.
Business under pressure
The Cuspinera case has had a devastating effect on the trust of the private business sector in Cuba. Many see his detention as a punitive act by the government to intimidate those who invest in private enterprise. Others view him as a victim of an unpredictable legal system.
“They filed a complaint for tax evasion without having conducted an audit first,” the source detailed. Following that, the Technical Directorate of Investigations (DTI) arrested the businessmen and suspended the licenses of Cuspinera SURL and Kmila-mart, rendering both companies immediately non-operational.
“They thought it was a misunderstanding, that it would be resolved quickly and that Frank could continue the process freely. But the authorities became increasingly severe and arbitrary,” he said.
According to the initial accusation, profits were not deposited in the bank, which would have caused "harm to the system and discontent among the population." However, for many entrepreneurs on the island, this practice is an inevitable consequence of the very design of the economic system.
“Here, everyone knows that all the mipymes engage in currency trafficking, because there is no legal availability of foreign currency. Nothing is produced, everything must be imported”, stated the source consulted by 14yMedio.
Meanwhile, Cuspinera's health continues to deteriorate, and his future is uncertain. What began for him as a dream of entrepreneurship in Cuba has now turned into a prison nightmare. His hunger strike is perhaps his last resort to be heard.
Frequently Asked Questions about the situation of Frank Cuspinera Medina and the private sector in Cuba
Why is Frank Cuspinera Medina on a hunger strike?
Frank Cuspinera Medina is on a hunger strike to protest what he considers an arbitrary judicial process filled with irregularities against him. The Cuban-American businessman, founder of the supermarket Diplomarket, known as the “Cuban Costco,” has been on a hunger strike for two weeks in a solitary confinement cell at the Combinado del Este in Havana. His advocates claim that the judicial process lacks legal guarantees and is overseen by Cuban State Security.
What are the accusations against Frank Cuspinera Medina?
Frank Cuspinera Medina faces accusations of tax evasion, currency trafficking, and money laundering, but his defenders argue that these charges are fabricated and lack solid foundations. The entrepreneur has reported the absence of a prior audit and the manipulation of testimonies against him, which has raised concerns in the Cuban private sector about legal security for entrepreneurs.
How does the case of Frank Cuspinera affect the private sector in Cuba?
The case of Frank Cuspinera has had a devastating effect on the trust of the private business sector in Cuba. Many entrepreneurs view his detention as a punitive act by the government to intimidate those who invest in the private sector. This situation adds to a series of restrictions and arbitrary closures of businesses, which has intensified the economic precariousness of the private sector on the island.
What has Frank Cuspinera reported about his treatment in prison?
Frank Cuspinera has reported being a victim of psychological torture, judicial manipulation, and violation of his fundamental rights while imprisoned in Cuba. In a public letter, he called for the intervention of international organizations and criticized the Cuban judicial system for fabricating charges against him without granting him the right to an effective defense.
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