The Cuban owner of a Belfast sandwich shop has suspended Deliveroo orders following the company’s failure to pay him due to US economic sanctions on what he describes as “anyone associated with Cuba”.

Carlos Arguelles, founder of the city centre based Cuban Sandwich Factory, said he was “angry and very sad” that he has been forced to cancel the online delivery service due to the stoppage in regular payments by a US bank over the past two months.

Half of his staff depend on the Deliveroo orders and Arguelles said he cannot afford to keep paying their wages.

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Based in Belfast since 2012, the business owner said a similar situation arose during the first Trump administration, when he was asked to prove he was a UK resident by a Deliveroo rep.

The business owner has been living in Northern Ireland since 1998 after moving from Cuba to marry a Co Antrim woman.

“The last payment we received from Deliveroo was in mid-June and it has been sporadic since then. This is not Deliveroo’s fault but the American bank that makes the payments. There seems to be an automatic trigger as soon as the word ‘Cuba’ appears,” said Arguelles.

“Mr Trump is trying to make it very difficult for anyone or anything associated with Cuba, even a wee sandwich shop in Belfast.

“This is the first time I’ve had to suspend these orders. It’s crazy this is happening. But no guarantee of any payment date or indeed ever being paid what has now run to over £7,000; it is unsustainable for us to continue with Deliveroo.”

Deliveroo has been contacted for comment.

For months, Cuba has faced ever-tightening economic sanctions by the US.

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Since announcing the move in an online post on Tuesday, Arguelles said he has been inundated with messages of support.

“This is a horrible environment, as there is now an impact on my orders. I’ve had to cancel some orders from my suppliers. The meats, the bread, the baker – every single thing will be affected. It’s not a good situation,” he added.

“I took the decision to suspend the orders against my Deliveroo rep’s advice, but I felt I had no choice. Around 20 to 30 per cent of my orders come from them. I was talking to a lot of restaurant owners and they have not been affected – so it is now down to me being Cuban. I have family affected in Cuba by the same thing.”