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WORLD NEWS Thursday 29 OcTOber 2020
Cubans fret as U.S. sanctions threaten Western Union closures

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ of State Mike Pompeo said
Associated Press the goal was to cut the flow
HAVANA (AP) — More than of money to Cuba's mili-
400 Western Union offices tary, which he accused of
that Cubans heavily rely supporting Venezuela and
on for remittances sent by systematically violating hu-
family abroad are in dan- man rights.
ger of closing amid a grow- Overall, Cuba's govern-
ing number of sanctions ment says it has lost nearly
the U.S. government has $5.6 billion in one year as a
placed on the island. result of the sanctions.
Cuba's government said "Politics aside, I ask that
all 407 offices could close they think of the people,"
by late November, a move said Daynela Pupo, who is
that would potentially af- renting her home to make
fect millions of people who up for the drop in tourism
depend on money sent by revenue.
relatives for daily expenses Experts estimate that up to
if no alternatives are found. $3.5 billion in remittances
"I invite the president to live are sent yearly to Cuba
here in Cuba for one day on average, an important
without the family remit- source of income for many
tances we receive from who rely on the cash to pay
Western Union, just for one for food and services, as
day," homemaker Karina In this June 12, 2020 file photo, people stand outside a Western Union in the Vedado neighborhood well as to finance private
Hidalgo said in reference of Havana, Cuba. business. In a statement
to U.S. President Donald Associated Press that Western Union sent to
Trump as she waited in line tions. Fincimex, which co- Cuba's military, and comes the cynicism, contempt The Associated Press, it said
with her daughter Wednes- ordinates remittances via as the pandemic crushes for the Cuban people and it would explore ways to
day to pick up the $70 her Western Union and other the earnings of hundreds of the opportunism of the U.S. keep operating while com-
husband in Miami sends entities, has ties to Gaesa, thousands of residents who government," the compa- plying with the new rules
monthly. The potential clo- a military-run company rely on tourism.Fincimex ny stated. The sanction is and regulations. Their of-
sures stem from a recent that has far-reaching eco- criticized the sanction in a one of several imposed by fices in Cuba remain open
U.S. sanction that prohibits nomic interests through- Facebook post late Tues- Trump as he courts Cuban- for now, and the company
Cuban government agen- out the island. The sanc- day. American voters in Florida said it would provide ad-
cy Fincimex from handling tion aims to deny income "To do so in the midst of a ahead of the election. ditional information once it
such financial transac- to any company linked to pandemic underscores Last week, U.S. Secretary formalizes new plans. q

Nigeria's army admits its soldiers were

at Lagos shootings

By SAM OLUKOYA
Associated Press
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Ni-
geria's army has admitted
its soldiers were deployed
at the Lekki Toll Plaza in
Lagos where live rounds
were fired last week, killing
several peaceful protesters
prompting global outrage.
At least 10 protesters were
killed in the Lekki plaza
shooting on Oct. 20, ac-
cording to Amnesty Inter-
national, which charged In this Wednesday Oct. 21, 2020 file photo, police officers detain
Wednesday that army a protester at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, Nigeria.
troops opened fire on pro- Associated Press
testers without provoca-
tion. the troops shot at the pro- deployed on orders from
The army had previously testers. the Lagos state govern-
maintained that its troops The military's admission of ment, but the governor
were not at the site of the its presence at the plaza has said the state has no
shooting, but Tuesday night came after Lagos State authority over the national
a military spokesman, Maj. governor Babajide Sanwo- army. Many Nigerians ques-
Osoba Olaniyi, reversed Olu said security camera tion why the soldiers were
that position, saying sol- footage showed Nigerian deployed at the peaceful
diers had been deployed soldiers firing at the peace- protest, in which thousands
there to enforce a curfew. ful protesters at Lekki plaza. had gathered at the Lekki
However, he denied that Olaniyi said soldiers were plaza.q