In brief
The United States has imposed a new round of sanctions targeting nine state‑owned mining, metal and building firms, the Ministry of Construction and officials linked to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the move aims to curb Cuba’s alleged spread of Marxism and subversive anti‑American actions. Cuban officials have condemned the sanctions as a tactic to hurt the economy, especially amid the ongoing oil blockade that has left hospitals on emergency generators. The latest sanctions add to earlier restrictions on Cuba’s energy, finance and defence ministries and may further weaken the island’s dwindling tourism revenue.
In a push to curb Cuba’s funding of "subversive anti‑American activities", the United States has announced a new set of economic sanctions targeting nine state‑owned mining, metal and building firms, the Ministry of Construction and key officials linked to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the designations signal that the Biden administration will not allow the Cuban regime to spread Marxist ideology or finance repression.
Cuban officials, including Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, have condemned the move as an attempt to punish the nation’s economy, citing worsening shortages of fuel and energy and the recent oil blockade that has left hospitals relying on emergency generators.
These latest sanctions add to a growing list of U.S. actions that already target Cuba’s energy, finance and defence ministries, and they raise concerns about further curtailing the island’s dwindling tourism revenue.
Meanwhile, protests over frequent power cuts have begun to erupt in Cuba, a rare public dissent in a country where criticism is typically met with harsh penalties.
