The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector, Dariel Fernandezhas undertaken a controversial campaign to revoke business licenses from companies, according to him, suspected of maintaining ties with the Cuban Government. In recent weeks these actions have generated an intense debate about the limits of local authority and compliance with United States federal sanctions against Cuba.
The process began in September 2025, when Fernández publicly warned that his office would be “more attentive than ever” to companies that trade with Cuba without federal authorization. The official, born in Havana, then stated that he knew “who they are and where they are” and that “he would not tolerate businesses that try to benefit by illegally participating in trade with Cuba’s murderous communist dictatorship.”
He October 28, 2025Fernández’s office sent letters to 75 county businesses requesting documentation demonstrating that they had specific or general licenses issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), as required by federal law.
License Revocation
Of the 75 companies notified, 48 responded satisfactorily and they presented sufficient documentation or demonstrated that they did not maintain commercial relations with the island. However, the rest did not respond within the established deadline.
He November 25, 2025the office sent a second notice warning that silence would be interpreted as a possible lack of federal authorization. In the absence of a response, the December 23 proceeded to repeal the Local Business Tax of 20 companieswhich leaves them unable to operate legally in Miami-Dade.
Miami-Dade revokes licenses from 20 businesses for alleged commercial ties with Cuba
Among the sanctioned companies are:
- Havana Sky Travel Inc. (2 locations)
- Xael Charters Inc. (2 locations)
- AMZ Immigration and Multi-Services Corp.
- Yumury Shipping & Travel
- Via Blanca Multiservice Inc.
- Globi Shipping
- BM Shipping Cargo
- R&R Logistics
The majority are travel agencies, shipping companies and logistics firms with operations in several cities in the region.
Legal basis of actions
Fernández has justified his actions by citing the Section 205.0532, Florida Statutes and Section A-175.1 of the Miami-Dade County Code, which authorize the tax collector to revoke or deny the renewal of local licenses to businesses that maintain commercial ties with Cuba in violation of federal law.
The official has emphasized that his office does not have the power to close businesses directly, but rather carries out an administrative process to revoke the Local Business Tax Receipt, an essential requirement to operate in the county.
Legal claims
The aviation company Xael Charters Inc. presented a federal lawsuit on December 24, 2025 against Miami-Dade County and Fernandez. The company, based in Coral Gables, maintains that the measure violates the Foreign Trade Clause of the United States Constitution and its rights to due process, arguing that international aviation is regulated by federal authorities and should not be subject to local jurisdiction.
Xael Charters operates under a federal license granted in 1998 by the Department of the Treasury and offers flights to Havana, Camagüey, Holguín and Santa Clara.
Likewise, the owner of Yumury Shipping & Travel He defended the legality of his business, ensuring that he simply sends packages and helps families in Cuba, and attributed the suspension of his license to an administrative error because the letter requesting evidence was sent to a previous address.
“The lawsuits do not deter us from fulfilling our duty. On the contrary, they reinforce the importance of applying the law correctly and without compromise. The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s Office will continue to put the people of Miami-Dade first, acting when necessary and protecting at all times the safety and integrity of our community,” Fernández said in a statement cited by The New Herald.
“Political” actions
The measure has generated criticism. Ricardo Herrero, of the Cuba Study Group, He described the actions as “political” and described them as “a drive-by prosecutor,” arguing that the problem is that many companies operate under federal “general licenses” that do not issue specific documents that can be presented to county authorities.
“For many Cuban Americans in Miami, these businesses offer an economical avenue to support their families at home,” Herrero said. “In general, these businesses exist because they are legal under American laws and regulations. American laws and regulations, mind you, that South Florida politicians, at the time, helped write.”
For his part, lawyer Augusto Maxwell, from Akerman, pointed out that Decisions on trade with Cuba “are not really a local decision“But they fall to OFAC, which has a set of regulations that contemplate general licenses.
“Conducting business with Cuba under these federal government authorizations simply does not require additional authorization from state or local governments,” Maxwell said. “Federal laws will prevail over those local provisions.”
“If they want to resolve it in court…”
In an interview with Univisión, Fernández defended his actions and reiterated that he will continue to apply the law “transparently and without any type of remorse.” The official explained that the process was gradual, with two notifications, and that companies that demonstrated that they were within the legal parameters did not face consequences.
“As a Cuban emigrant, I know firsthand the suffering inflicted by the Cuban communist regime.“Fernandez stated, adding that “Miami-Dade County will not be used as a platform to finance or support” the regime.
The collector has made it clear that he is willing to face more demands: “If they want to resolve it before the courts, there is no problem. I was elected to enforce the law and that is what we are doing.”
More recently, Fernandez expressed “concern” for the participation of Cubamax Travel Inc.based in Hialeah, in sending remittances to Cuba after learning that the Central Bank of Cuba authorized this company to manage money transfers towards the island.
Fernández has warned that This is “just the beginning” and that in the coming weeks his office will notify more businesses. The investigations will continue, and the official has promised to act “with firmness, responsibility and unwavering respect for the rule of law.”
