Sunwing, WestJet Vacations indefinitely suspend Cuba operations

Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations are suspending all operations in Cuba indefinitely, the company said in a press release Friday.

In April, the group announced that it was suspending its Cuba operations until October. On Friday, that suspension was extended “until further notice.”

Sunwing Vacations Group, which includes Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and WestJet Vacations Québec said it has made the “difficult decision to indefinitely suspend all Cuba operations until further notice.”

“We will continue to monitor developments closely, work with our partners on the ground, and provide updates as more information becomes available,” the group said.

Guests with existing bookings will be contacted directly and provided with options, including rebooking to an alternative destination or cancelling for a full refund.

Cuba is currently battling energy and economic crises amidst U.S. sanctions as many Cubans go without food and power.

The United States imposed sanctions Thursday on ​Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife and three other individuals, in the latest move by the Trump administration to pressure the island’s leadership that drew immediate condemnation from Havana.

The new penalties come as U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba since ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and then ordering an energy blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba. That has led to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island.

–with files from Associated Press