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The United States imposed sanctions on five Cuban entities and eight individuals accused of facilitating military procurement and foreign military cooperation for the Cuban government, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging that Havana poses a threat to American national security.
Cuba, however, condemned the move as part of Washington's "hostile policy of harassment". Announcing the measures in a post on X, Rubio said the sanctions target those involved in procuring arms and supporting Cuba's military and security apparatus. "The Cuban Communist regime is a state sponsor of terrorism that spies on America, arms violent left-wing radicals, spreads poisonous Marxist ideology, and serves as a staging ground for Russia, China & Iran just 90 miles from our shores. Today I sanctioned five Cuban entities and eight individuals associated with procuring arms for the regime," Rubio said. "As President Trump has said: the United States will not tolerate a rogue state harboring hostile military, intelligence & terror operations on our doorstep," he added. Rubio also warned that any individual, financial institution or company providing support or services to the sanctioned entities could themselves face US sanctions. "Anyone supporting, sponsoring, or providing services to these sanctioned actors is at risk of being sanctioned themselves. Foreign banks and other companies that provide services to, or hold funds for, these entities should terminate those activities immediately," he said. In a separate statement issued by the US State Department, Rubio said the sanctions were imposed under US President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14404, issued on May 1, 2026, titled "Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to United States National Security and Foreign Policy." According to the State Department, the designated entities and individuals are accused of assisting Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) and security forces in procuring military equipment from abroad. Rubio further alleged that Cuba's military and intelligence institutions "spy on the United States, provide material support to violent radicals and terrorist groups, and spread poisonous Marxist ideology," while also serving as "a staging ground for other U.S. adversaries such as Russia, China and Iran to conduct operations against the United States." He also described Cuba's military-run conglomerate, Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), as a central instrument of domestic repression and corruption. "The Trump Administration will continue to use every tool at our disposal to address the national security threats posed by the Cuban Communist regime, and to drive economic and political reforms to give the Cuban people a better future," Rubio said in the statement. Responding to the announcement, the Embassy of Cuba in the United States criticised the sanctions, calling them another step in Washington's long-standing campaign against Havana. "As part of its hostile policy of harassment against Cuba, the United States announced today new sanctions against five state entities and eight officials from the island," the Cuban Embassy said in a statement posted on X. "The Cuban people and Revolution remain steadfast. No sanction can deprive a country of being free and independent," it added. The latest measures mark another escalation in US-Cuba tensions, with Washington maintaining that the sanctions are aimed at safeguarding US national security, while Havana has rejected the allegations and described the move as politically motivated. (ANI)
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