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I’ve been running a small e-commerce brand selling smart makeup mirrors from浙江建德 to Latin America for three years. Last year, I opened a local entity in Guantánamo to handle inventory and customer support — not because it was easy, but because shipping from Panama was too slow, and Cuban logistics, while messy, were cheaper.

I didn’t expect the biggest headache wouldn’t be customs or taxes — it would be employee separation agreements.

What I thought was a simple HR process — sign a contract, pay salary, terminate with notice — turned into a geopolitical minefield after February 2025, when the U.S. expanded visa restrictions targeting Cuban government-linked labor exports. Suddenly, every local hire felt like a potential liability.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about operational survival.

Here’s how I broke it down.

一、表层现象：员工离职协议突然“卡壳”

去年底，我雇了一位本地人，Luis, 28岁，会英语和基本的 Photoshop，负责客服和产品拍照。合同是标准的 12 个月，试用期 30 天，月薪 450 CUP（约 18 USD）。

今年三月，他提出辞职。简单，对吧？

但 when I tried to draft the Employee Separation Agreement — the official termination document — the local notary refused to stamp it.

Why?

Because, as he put it: “This job might be connected to the medical mission program. We don’t know if your company is on the U.S. watchlist.”

I didn’t even know what he meant.

Turns out, the U.S. State Department’s February 2025 policy expansion explicitly targets “individuals involved in the Cuban labour export programme” — including foreign employers who hire Cuban workers under state-controlled programs.

Even though my business sells mirrors, not doctors, the Cuban government still controls all employment contracts through the Ministry of Labor. Every worker, even in private companies, is technically “loaned” by the state.

So my simple HR form? It now requires:

  • Proof the employee was not assigned by the Ministry of Public Health
  • Declaration that the company does not participate in any state-led labor export scheme
  • Notarized affidavit from the employee confirming voluntary employment

None of this was required six months ago.

二、隐藏变量：谁在“控制”你的员工？

The real issue isn’t the U.S. policy.

It’s that Cuba’s labor system hasn’t changed — but the world’s perception of it has.

Even though Cuba announced 176 economic reforms in June 2026 — allowing private firms to hire up to 100 employees, permitting foreign investment, and loosening price controls — the state still owns the labor supply.

Every Cuban worker is registered under the Sistema Nacional de Empleo (National Employment System). You can’t legally hire someone without going through their assigned labor office.

That means:

  • Your employee’s salary is partially paid by the state (even if you pay in cash)
  • Their social security is managed by the government
  • Their exit from employment requires state approval

So when you terminate someone, you’re not just firing an employee — you’re asking the state to release a resource it controls.

The U.S. policy doesn’t ban hiring Cubans. It bans hiring Cubans who are part of the state’s labor export program — which, by default, includes almost everyone.

The result?

Local notaries, banks, and even tax offices now treat every employment document as a potential red flag.

I’ve seen companies in Havana pause hiring. Others are switching to “freelancer” contracts — but those are illegal under Cuban labor law unless registered as cuentapropistas.

There’s no official flowchart for this.

But here’s what I pieced together from talking to three other foreign entrepreneurs in Guantánamo:

  1. Start with a “Voluntary Employment Declaration” — signed by the employee, notarized, stating they chose the job independently.
  2. Avoid any mention of “medical,” “education,” or “international mission” — even if it’s unrelated.
  3. Keep all payments in CUP, not USD — to avoid triggering OFAC scrutiny.
  4. Use the Ministry of Labor’s online portal to register the termination — even if you don’t get a confirmation.

It’s not legal advice. It’s risk mitigation.

三、制度逻辑：为什么古巴的“改革”不等于“自由雇佣”？

Cuba’s 176 reforms (per El Comercio, June 21, 2026) look like capitalism.

But they’re not.

They’re controlled liberalization.

The state still owns land, utilities, banks, and the labor market.

The goal isn’t to create a free market. It’s to:

  • Generate hard currency from private businesses
  • Reduce state payroll burdens
  • Attract foreign capital without giving up political control

So when the U.S. says “no to forced labor,” Cuba doesn’t shut down its medical missions — it just shifts them.

Guyana terminated its medical partnership with Havana in 2025, but Cuba still published scholarship notices for 2026/2027 (per Reuters-style reports in local forums).

The system adapts — not ends.

That means:

Your employee isn’t your employee. They’re a state asset with a job assignment.

Terminating them isn’t HR. It’s state resource reallocation.

And the U.S. knows it.

So every document you file, every signature you collect, is now a signal — to Cuban authorities, to U.S. customs, to international banks — about whether you’re “playing by the rules.”

The rules?

They’re unwritten.

But they’re enforced.

四、创业者视角：我该怎么活下去？

I’m not a lawyer. I’m a dad who wakes up every two hours to a crying baby. I just want to ship mirrors without getting my bank account frozen.

Here’s what I do now — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s survivable:

✅ 1. Always use “freelancer” status for new hires

Even if they’re full-time. Register them as cuentapropistas under Cuban law. It’s not ideal — they pay higher taxes — but it removes the state’s direct control.

✅ 2. Never pay in USD or use international wire transfers

All payments go through CUP cash or local bank transfers. No mention of “foreign employer” on any document.

✅ 3. Keep a digital paper trail — but never store it on cloud

I print every agreement, get notarized copies, and store them in a locked drawer. No Google Drive. No email attachments.

✅ 4. Ask the employee to sign a “Non-Participation Affidavit”

A one-page form they write in Spanish:

“I, [Name], confirm that I am not currently or previously assigned by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, Education, or any state labor export program. I voluntarily accepted employment with [Company Name] for personal and professional reasons.”

Then get it notarized.

It’s not foolproof — but it’s the closest thing to a “flowchart” I’ve found.

✅ 5. Talk to other foreign small business owners — not lawyers

In Guantánamo, the lawyers are too scared to advise. But the other Chinese mirror sellers? They’ve been through this. We meet every Friday at Café La Cabaña.

No one has a solution. But we share what works.

❓ FAQ：常见问题与可操作路径

Q1: Can I hire a Cuban worker without going through the Ministry of Labor?

Step: Check if the person is registered as a cuentapropista (self-employed) via the official portal: https://www.mintrab.cu
Path: Ask for their cédula de identidad + licencia de trabajo (work license).
Checklist:

  • License issued after 2024
  • No mention of “salud,” “educación,” or “misión internacional”
  • License is not expired
  • No state employer listed

Q2: What if a former employee sues me for wrongful termination?

Step: Immediately request the employee’s “Labor Exit Certificate” from the local Oficina de Empleo.
Path: Visit the municipal labor office with your company registration and termination letter.
Key point: If they don’t have a certificate, they can’t legally prove they were employed by you.

Q3: Is there an official template for an Employee Separation Agreement in Guantánamo?

Step: No official template exists.
Path: Use the format from the Cuban Ministry of Labor’s 2023 Manual de Relaciones Laborales (available at any municipal library).
Key point: Avoid the word “contract” — use “acuerdo de terminación de relación laboral.”

结论：在不确定中，做最小的确定动作

I used to think legal risk meant “avoiding fines.”

Now I know: it’s about avoiding attention.

The U.S. isn’t trying to shut down my mirror business.

They’re trying to shut down the system that exports Cuban labor.

And if I’m part of that system — even unintentionally — I become a target.

So I stopped trying to be legal.

I started trying to be invisible.

I don’t need to be perfect.

I just need to not be the one they pick.

🔸 延伸阅读

🔸 Cuba se abre al capitalismo, Ignacio Buse en Wimbledon y la proyección de El Niño para fines del 2026 🗞️ 来源: El Comercio – 📅 2026-06-21
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 Svolta di Cuba, porte aperte ai mercati 🗞️ 来源: La Stampa – 📅 2026-06-20
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 Avertissement de Trump sur les risques de l’accord iranien, raid à Cuba rappelant le Venezuela, règlement de 100 millions de dollars dans le procès avec Mary Trump et plus : cette semaine en politique 🗞️ 来源: Benzinga España – 📅 2026-06-21
🔗 阅读原文

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