The facade of the CIMEX building, a conglomerate that belongs to the military-run business conglomerate GAESA, in Havana on Tuesday. The Cuban government denied that GAESA is an "opaque structure" that operates 'parallel to the state' in its first statement on the matter since the entity was sanctioned by the United States a month ago. Photo by Juan Palop/EPA
June 2 (UPI) -- Asian hotel chain Archipelago International has ended its operations in Cuba under the Aston brand, becoming the third international operator to leave the island in less than a week.
The decision comes ahead of new U.S. sanctions that are to take effect against GAESA, the business conglomerate run by Cuba's Armed Forces.
Under the Aston brand, Archipelago managed several hotels belonging to Gaviota Tourism Group, Cuba's leading tourism company and one of the firms that make up Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., known as GAESA.
They include Grand Aston Havana, Grand Aston Varadero, Grand Aston Cayo Paredón, Grand Aston Cayo Las Brujas and Aston Costa Verde.
