At the end of last year, the opening in Havana of the “first Costco in Cuba,” as the foreign press called it, was the talk of many on social media. Now it is back in the news, but with its probable closure and the mysterious reason behind it.
In October 2023, CNN correspondent in Cuba, Patrick Oppmann, was amazed after the opening of what he himself called “the first Costco in Cuba.” According to the American reporter, it was a store like those in the United States, with similar products and a warehouse type.
“It’s surreal to see what is essentially a Costco open in Cuba after years of shortages and difficulty finding basic goods,” Oppmann said.
The store, which accepted payment in Cuban pesos (CUP), US dollars and euros, offered a wide variety of products at prices that, although high, were affordable for those who could afford them, especially for diplomats or Cubans with access to foreign currency.
Shortly afterwards, the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) came out to clarify that it was not exactly a branch of the famous American brand (no one would have thought of that) and said that it was a hardware store belonging to a Spanish firm. But they were never referring to the same store.
Closing of the first Costco in Cuba?
The store, called Diplomat, and not the “first Costco in Cuba,” quickly became a popular shopping destination for people on and off the island, but this week it was back in the headlines in Miami for its sudden closure.
The supermarket was allegedly abruptly closed by Cuban authorities. Its owner, Cuban-American businessman Frank Cuspinera Medina, has been detained since June 20, along with his wife Camila, although government sources have not confirmed the incident or provided any details.
The news, initially reported by La Tijera, was later confirmed by the independent media outlet CiberCuba. According to the sources, Cuspinera’s arrest occurred after an intervention in the establishment by state security and GAESA auditors.
These media outlets speculate that the possible cause of the closure of the “first Cuban Costco” is tax evasion and money laundering. This is what is known so far.
