Madrid/The Donald Trump Administration announced this Monday a new round of sanctions against Cuban state entities linked to the Gaesa military conglomerate and against a person related to the Castro family, following the offensive initiated after the signing of Executive Order 14404 on May 1.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac), dependent on the US Department of the Treasury, incorporated five Cuban companies into its List of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN): Almacenes Universales SA, Banco Financiero Internacional (BFI), Geominera SA, the José Martí Steel Company (Antillana de Acero) and Rafin SA
In addition to the companies, the sanctions also include Annalie Lilliam Rueda Cardero, wife of General Alejandro Castro Espín, son of Raúl Castro, who was also sanctioned at the beginning of June,
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, published in
“The situation in Cuba continues to deteriorate as the island’s corrupt, brutal and anti-American communist regime continues to prioritize its absolute control over freedom”
Rubio warned that any person or entity that provides services to the sanctioned actors runs the risk of being sanctioned as well and that, therefore, foreign banks and other entities that maintain commercial relations with these entities must cease their activities immediately.
“The situation in Cuba continues to deteriorate as the island’s corrupt, brutal and anti-American communist regime continues to prioritize its absolute control over the freedom, opportunities and basic well-being of the Cuban people,” said the Secretary of State.
With this decision, Washington makes it clear that the economic reforms recently announced by the Cuban Government have not altered its pressure strategy. Although the package of 176 resolutions has been presented as the largest reform in the Cuban economic structure in decades – it includes the legalization of private banking, the opening of state companies to private and foreign capital, and a greater expansion of private initiative – the United States maintains that the core of the economic system continues under the control of the military leadership.
According to what a spokesperson for the State Department told the AFP agency, Washington described as “smoke signals” the package of measures from the Cuban Government and demanded “much more substantial economic and political reforms that make Cuba attractive to investors” and that offer its citizens “the freedom, dignity and opportunities they deserve.”
Washington described the Cuban Government’s package of measures as “smoke signals” and demanded “much more substantial economic and political reforms.”
Since the signing of the Executive Order of May 1, 2026, Washington has deployed a strategy of pressure against the economic pillars of the regime.
First sanctioned Gaesaits president, General Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, and the state mining company Moa Nickel, which precipitated the withdrawal of foreign companies such as the Canadian Sherritt International and several hotel chains associated with the military conglomerate, including Blue Diamond Resorts, Iberostar, Meliá and Archipelago International.
The large international shipping companies, including the French CMA CGM and the German Hapag-Lloydsuspended all services to Cuba, in application of the new secondary sanctions regime. The decision caused the paralysis of a good part of the freight traffic to the Island and forced operators to abandon routes or renegotiate contracts.
The measures also reached Fincimex, with the suspension of Visa and Mastercard operations on the Island.
In previous actions, Washington had already expanded sanctions to figures from the political and family environment of power in Cuba, including Miguel Díaz-Canel
On June 11, the Cupet inclusion on the list of entities sanctioned by Ofac frustrated the operation of the company Vanguard Energy, based in Florida, which aspired to carry out one of the biggest sales deprived of fuel to Cuba in recent years. Cupet’s sanction also caused the withdrawal of the oil company Australian Melbana, which boasted of working on one of the most promising oil exploration projects, although it never presented convincing data.
In previous actions, Washington already had expanded sanctions to figures from the political and family environment of power in Cuba, including Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife, Lis Cuesta Peraza and his stepson, Manuel Anido Cuesta, as well as Alejandro Castro Espín, among other members of the ruling elite and their support networks.
