GAESA

The Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) is a Cuban business megaconglomerate, owned and operated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. Among Cuba's "most powerful institutions", it is estimated to control between 40-70% of the Cuban economy, with revenues three times the state budget. However, due to the historic precedent of misinformation campaigns, much of the English language information on GAESA is unverified and from problematic sources. GAESA consists of dozens of businesses, dealing in everything from hotels and tourism to construction, port logistics, fishing and commercial imports, financial services and retail stores. Contradictory and problematic reports describe it as a financial juggernaut, or being "on the verge of bankruptcy". GAESA was founded by Raul Castro to give the Cuban military a financial foundation during the Special Period, and was run by the Cuban general Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja until his death in 2022. Some sources allege GAESA does not allow the Cuban government to audit its accounts.