Entrepreneurship in Cuba is a sector well controlled by the Cuban government, which grants the necessary credentials to a group of selected individuals, whether foreigners or nationals. This feeling of "openness" is essential to combat the US embargo by making people believe that it is affecting the private sector. Analyzing this and the following articles, we will discover a universe of entrepreneurs that revolves around the actor Jorge Perugorría.
When these privileged are foreigners and you get credentials, you have to be connected to this caste of entrepreneurs.
This is the case of Custom Latin Travel LLC (2) registered in Montana, US and previously called EXPERIENCE CUBA, LLC. It was registered by JOSLIN FRITZ (1). The corporation has several organizations as a business partner, including Rotary International, as can be seen on the Web.
Rotary International has prepared groups for Cuba on several occasions and has even received the Cuban ambassador José Ramón Cabañas in the United States, more precisely, the Rotary Club of Tampa. The official Cuban press itself reported on the event through the Radio Rebelde website. (3) (4).
At that meeting in a restaurant in Ybor City in Tampa, influential personalities from the fight against the embargo, such as Mr. Vicente Amor, gathered.
Several Rotary clubs traveled to Cuba through the Corporacion Custom Latin Travel / EXPERIENCE CUBA (5). The trips usually cost about $ 2,600 dollars not including the air ticket. The trip was to bring wheelchairs but included visits to various "private" businesses in the Perugorría universe, such as the designer and fashion store "Clandestina". But about "Clandestina" we will talk in future publications. Now let's see a little more about Custom Latin Travel.
Although the Corporation is registered by Joslin, the official site says that the "Chief of Operations" is a girl named Kalea (6). According to the site, Kalea lives in Havana with her husband and a dog (7).
In an interview (10) that he gave to his sister, Kalea states:
"If Cuba closes itself off to the world in such a way that it is impossible for us to work, we are probably going to need to move to the US, but it is not something we are considering as long as it is not necessary."
El esposo de Kalea Wiseman es un artista muy exitoso de nombre Orlando Almanza, y aquí empezamos a sentir la fuerza de gravedad atrayéndonos hacia Perugorría. Las obras de Almanza se han expuesto en exposiciones Publicas y Privadas dentro y fuera de Cuba, y por supuesto en el Proyecto Cultural de Jorge Perugorría "Galería Taller Gorría (GTG)"(8). Este radica en la Calle San Isidro.
Por si no fuera suficiente el vínculo, aquí les dejo una captura de pantalla del Instagram de Almanza(9). Ella vemos a Kalea y Almaza y una mención al proyecto Gorría.
En esta parte seria interesante para algunos saber que Almanza tiene obras en exposiciones Privadas en EEUU. Y otro que tiene que también tiene colecciones privadas en EEUU es el artista Michel Mirabal(11).
Mirabal esta conectado al Universo Perugorria a través del Festival Internacional de Cine de Gibara, cuyo presidente es Jorge Perugorria(12). Este festival enrola a muchos elementos del Universo Perugorria. Como la agencia de viajes "Four Wives", la paladar "La guarida" que dio acogida al es-presidente Obama, a GTG y "Clandestina" entre Otros(13).
Para cerrar el circulo debemos mencionar que Mirabal tiene como amigo a Hugo Cancio(15)(16) y ha tenido obras expuestas en Ybor Art Factory(14), centro cultural que pertenece a Vicente Amor(17). Recuerdas al señor que estaba en la actividad de los Rotarios de Tampa?
Hay mucho mas que hablar sobre el Universo Perugorria y su gremio de "Emprendedores", pero tenemos que parar aquí y continuar en próximas publicaciones.
Recientemente se han visto relaciones entre Vicente y los "Puentes de Amor" del profesor Lazo a través de las investigaciones llevadas a cabo por "El mundo de Darwin"(18). ¿Pudiera ser que los "Puentes de Amor" fueran en realidad los "Puentes de Vicente Amor"?
Referencia:
1- OpenCorporates: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_mt/C264372
2- Custom Latin Travel Website: https://www.customlatintravel.com/
3- Radio Rebelde Web: https://www.radiorebelde.cu/english/news/ambassador-addresses-ties-with-cuba-during-visit-to-tampa-usa-20190626/
4- Cuban Money Project Web: http://cubamoneyproject.com/2019/06/25/cuban-ambassador-touts-people-to-people-diplomacy/?fbclid=IwAR0ZIeiz7wAGgmujLXlkBUXgg-e517bj2oHse9QZ4DNMmA7L8JdcvUtnd7A
5- Rotary Club Distric 5790. Invitación para el viaje a Cuba: https://rotary5790.org/Stories/grapevine-rc-invitation-to-cuba-wheelchair-project
6- Custon Latin Travel. Acerca de: https://www.customlatintravel.com/about-us/
7- Perfil de Kalea: https://www.customlatintravel.com/KALEA/
8- Orlando Almanza. CV: http://www.orlandoalmanza.com/cv.html
9- Orlando Almanza. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orlandoalmanzaart/
10- Emma Wiseman entrevista a su hermana Kalea Wiseman. (min 8.41) english: https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/kalea-wiseman-my-sister/
11- Video de Michel Mirabal. Volemos juntos a NYC: https://www.facebook.com/michelmirabalestudio/videos/378644729500313
12- Michel Mirabal video dedicado al Festibal de Gibara: https://www.facebook.com/michelmirabalestudio/videos/354043835947777
13- Web Oficial del Festival de Cine de Gibara: https://ficgibara.com/
14- Web Oficial de Ybor Art Factory: https://yborartfactory.com/
15- Instagram de Hugo Cancio. Foto con Mirabal: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNY_glgBNS3/
16- Perfil de Miche. Mirabal Estudios. Foto con Hugo Cancio: https://www.instagram.com/p/B7BZAzmhcRi
17- Instagram de Ybor Art Factory. Video de la exposición de Michel Mirabal: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLUvk7oBeHI/
18- El Mundo de Darwin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQi0Vk5Y-vQ