Miami exile leaders want a crackdown on luxury exports to Cuba — but few such U.S. goods go there
By Tim Padgett
February 17, 2026 at 5:47 PM EST
Miami’s Cuban exile leadership on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to cancel export licenses that allow luxury goods into communist Cuba — although very little of what goes to the island from the U.S. fits that definition.
Gathered at PortMiami, the delegation called for a federal review of all licenses for companies doing business with Cuba.
Republican Miami Congressman Carlos Gimenez said he and other local leaders sent a letter to the administration after the Miami-Dade County Treasurer’s office identified high-end cars and other goods sent to the island that they claim could benefit the dictatorship economically.
“Much to my astonishment,” Gimenez said, “[while] we are sending humanitarian goods to Cuba … we’re also sending jet skis, Ferraris, hot tubs, other things that are luxury items.”
But data show luxury goods are a scant share of U.S. exports to Cuba.
Although car shipments have definitely increased since those licenses were approved in 2023, the vast majority are non-luxury used vehicles, according to independent groups like the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council in New York.
“A Tesla or two made it in because Cuba was trying to increase the number of EV’s [electric vehicles] on the island,” said the Council’s president, John Kavulich.
“But the claim about a lot of luxury cars and goods going there just isn’t true. They are incredible exceptions.”
READ MORE: Miami-Dade tax collector cracks down on companies operating in Cuba. Is it a stunt?
Critics like the nonprofit Cuba Study Group in Washington D.C. say the call to review licenses is little more than a political stunt to avert Cuban-American voter attention away from President Donald Trump’s mass deportation of migrants, including Cubans, before mid-term elections.
Cuba's economy, which was already wrecked, appears to be in free-fall now that Trump has engineered a de facto blockade of international oil shipments to the island — including the Venezuelan crude that had helped keep the country afloat.
Exile leaders like Gimenez say now is the moment to apply maximum pressure on the Cuban regime to hasten its collapse.
U.S. has maintained an economic embargo against Cuba since 1962. Most of the U.S. exports that go to Cuba are agricultural, medical and humanitarian goods.
Still, Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez — who in recent months has begun a campaign to revoke the local licenses of companies that he deems are doing business with or in Cuba outside the limits of the embargo — insisted he needs to keep cracking down.
“When federal licenses allow commercial activity that appears inconsistent with the suffering of the people of Cuba,” Fernandez said,“these findings raise serious concerns in our community.”
WLRN recently reported one Miami-Dade business has sued Fernandez for revoking its license without due process. Fernandez said he could not discuss the pending litigation.
Gathered at PortMiami, the delegation called for a federal review of all licenses for companies doing business with Cuba.
Republican Miami Congressman Carlos Gimenez said he and other local leaders sent a letter to the administration after the Miami-Dade County Treasurer’s office identified high-end cars and other goods sent to the island that they claim could benefit the dictatorship economically.
“Much to my astonishment,” Gimenez said, “[while] we are sending humanitarian goods to Cuba … we’re also sending jet skis, Ferraris, hot tubs, other things that are luxury items.”
But data show luxury goods are a scant share of U.S. exports to Cuba.
Although car shipments have definitely increased since those licenses were approved in 2023, the vast majority are non-luxury used vehicles, according to independent groups like the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council in New York.
“A Tesla or two made it in because Cuba was trying to increase the number of EV’s [electric vehicles] on the island,” said the Council’s president, John Kavulich.
“But the claim about a lot of luxury cars and goods going there just isn’t true. They are incredible exceptions.”
READ MORE: Miami-Dade tax collector cracks down on companies operating in Cuba. Is it a stunt?
Critics like the nonprofit Cuba Study Group in Washington D.C. say the call to review licenses is little more than a political stunt to avert Cuban-American voter attention away from President Donald Trump’s mass deportation of migrants, including Cubans, before mid-term elections.
Cuba's economy, which was already wrecked, appears to be in free-fall now that Trump has engineered a de facto blockade of international oil shipments to the island — including the Venezuelan crude that had helped keep the country afloat.
Exile leaders like Gimenez say now is the moment to apply maximum pressure on the Cuban regime to hasten its collapse.
U.S. has maintained an economic embargo against Cuba since 1962. Most of the U.S. exports that go to Cuba are agricultural, medical and humanitarian goods.
Still, Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez — who in recent months has begun a campaign to revoke the local licenses of companies that he deems are doing business with or in Cuba outside the limits of the embargo — insisted he needs to keep cracking down.
“When federal licenses allow commercial activity that appears inconsistent with the suffering of the people of Cuba,” Fernandez said,“these findings raise serious concerns in our community.”
WLRN recently reported one Miami-Dade business has sued Fernandez for revoking its license without due process. Fernandez said he could not discuss the pending litigation.