Close Protection in Havana, Cuba

Havana occupies a unique position in the landscape of business travel security: it is a capital city with genuine economic activity and significant international engagement, operating under a political and regulatory system that has no parallel in Western business travel. For UK executives, Cuba is a legal destination under normal FCDO advice (normal precautions), and several sectors, including energy (oil exploration, renewables), agriculture, biopharmaceuticals, and tourism infrastructure, have seen licensed international engagement. The Cuban government actively courts foreign investment in designated sectors through joint venture frameworks, and UK companies have maintained presence in Cuba through various licensed arrangements.

The security environment in Havana is best understood through the lens of two distinct risk categories. The first is the physical security picture: Havana has low rates of serious violent crime by Latin American standards, with the primary risks being opportunistic petty crime concentrated in tourist zones and scams targeting foreign visitors, particularly in Habana Vieja. The economic deterioration since 2020, marked by fuel shortages, power outages, food scarcity, and the collapse of the tourism sector during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has increased the economic desperation that drives opportunistic crime. This trend has been documented in updated FCDO Cuba travel advice and is reflected in reporting from the diplomatic community.

The second risk category is structural and unique to Cuba: the monitoring environment for foreign nationals, the restrictions on communications and internet access, and the absence of an independent private security sector. Cuba’s Ministry of Interior (MININT) has an extensive internal security apparatus, and foreign business visitors, particularly those in commercially sensitive sectors, should operate on the assumption that communications, meetings, and movements may be subject to monitoring. This is not a reason to avoid Cuba, but it is a material factor in how executives should conduct themselves: treating communications with the same discretion that would apply in any monitored environment and avoiding discussions of commercially sensitive matters over unencrypted channels.

Cuba’s infrastructure constraints, particularly the power outages that have become increasingly severe since 2022, add a practical security dimension to any extended deployment. Hotels, particularly older properties in Habana Vieja, are subject to extended power cuts that affect elevators, air conditioning, security systems, and communications. This vulnerability is worth factoring into accommodation choices, with more recently constructed or renovated properties in Miramar and Vedado having better infrastructure resilience.

Security Services in Havana

Security arrangements in Havana operate within the constraints of the Cuban regulatory environment, which does not permit independent Western-style private security companies to operate commercially. In practice, this means that executive security for UK principals visiting Cuba is provided through personal accompaniment by trusted security officers travelling as part of the principal’s team, pre-vetted local drivers for all ground transport, and advance security planning that reduces exposure to risk through route discipline and informed venue selection.

British Embassy Havana (located in Miramar) provides consular assistance to UK nationals in genuine emergencies. Contact details and office hours should be held by all team members before departure. For medical emergencies, the Servimed Clinica Cira Garcia in Miramar is the designated facility for foreign visitors, and pre-travel confirmation of insurance coverage and cash payment arrangements is essential.

For related security services in Havana, see our bodyguard hire in Havana and security drivers in Havana pages.