Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez announced Thursday that his office has issued 3,909 compliance notices to businesses suspected of engaging in commercial activity involving Cuba’s government.
The notices, Fernandez posted on X, aim to verify that businesses operating in the county comply with local, state, and federal laws prohibiting or restricting transactions with Cuba.
“As the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector, I will always ensure that every business operating in our county complies with the law,” Fernandez stated. “We enforce the law, verify the facts, and take action when compliance cannot be confirmed.”
The compliance review examines whether businesses are involved in activities tied to Cuba’s government and if those activities violate applicable regulations. Fernandez emphasized that the effort protects the integrity of the county’s local business tax system and guards against links to a regime he described as a dictatorship that represses its people, censors speech, and violates basic human rights.
The action follows months of review by the tax collector’s office, including prior phased enforcement that has already resulted in some license revocations for non-compliant businesses.
All related documents are publicly available on the tax collector’s transparency website.
It remains unclear how many of the notified businesses may ultimately face penalties, such as revocation of their local business tax receipts, if they fail to demonstrate compliance.
The move aligns with broader U.S. efforts to counter authoritarian influence in the Western Hemisphere through strengthened enforcement of trade restrictions and promotion of lawful, democratic commerce.
