Washington announced new sanctions against five state-owned companies and eight officials of the Cuban regime, whom it accuses of participating in the purchase of weapons and military technology from Russia and China
The United States government announced a new package of sanctions against five state-owned companies and eight Cuban officials, whom it accuses of participating in operations aimed at acquiring weapons, military equipment, and defense technology from Russia and China. The decision was communicated by the Department of the Treasury and is part of Washington's policy to increase pressure on the Cuban regime due to its ties.
According to U.S. authorities, the sanctioned entities are believed to have been involved in negotiations for the purchase of military material and strategic equipment intended to strengthen the capabilities of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba. Among those named are companies linked to the state sector and officials who, according to U.S. investigations, played a significant role in coordinating these operations.
Vladimir Putin alongside the dictator Xi Jinping
The sanctions involve blocking all assets and interests that the designated individuals may have under U.S. jurisdiction, in addition to prohibiting U.S. citizens and companies from conducting transactions with them. Furthermore, the measure complicates access for the affected individuals and entities to the international financial system, due to the extent of the restrictions imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Washington maintains that military cooperation between Havana, Moscow, and Beijing represents a concern for regional security. U.S. officials claim that Cuba has deepened its ties with Russia and China in recent years through defense cooperation agreements, technological exchange, and military assistance.
This decision adds to other measures taken by the U.S. administration in recent months. In July, Washington had already sanctioned agencies and companies linked to the tourism sector and Cuban state structures, arguing that they contributed to financing the government apparatus and agencies responsible for internal repression.
The Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel
The Trump administration stated that it will continue to use financial and diplomatic sanctions against individuals and entities it considers involved in activities that, in its view, pose a threat to hemispheric security or contribute to the strengthening of authoritarian governments.
The measure reflects the intention of the United States to maintain a sanctions policy directed both against officials and against state-owned companies linked to strategic sectors of the Cuban regime, while differences between the two countries continue regarding security, foreign policy, and human rights.
