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The designations hit nine state-owned companies in the mining, metals and construction industries along with the Ministry of Construction and senior figures at the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the targeted individuals had helped ferry international sympathizers to Havana to coincide with events marking the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s birth. Rubio described the actions as part of the regime’s effort to export Marxism and anti-American activities, according to a statement reported by the BBC.
Rubio stated, “Today’s designations make clear that the Trump Administration will not tolerate the Cuban regime’s efforts to fund its repression or continue its decades-long campaign of subversive anti-American activities.” He further accused ICAP leaders of misleading and corrupting American citizens with lies and spy tradecraft. The institute was founded in 1960 by Castro to build ties with sympathetic organizations worldwide, the BBC reported.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez responded on X by saying the sanctions sought to punish Cuban companies and harm the economy. He warned they would hinder the government’s ability to provide basic services to a population already suffering from the effects of the blockade. Cuba has rejected all measures introduced by the current US administration.
A June assessment by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that the US fuel restrictions since January had produced blackouts of more than 20 hours daily while cutting food production by 60 percent. The report highlighted resulting increases in basic food costs and a drop in essential medicine availability to 30 percent of requirements. Health indicators worsened markedly, with infant mortality rising to 9.9 per 1,000 live births.
Reuters reported earlier this month that the administration had sanctioned five additional Cuban entities and eight individuals for facilitating arms acquisitions from Russia and China. Those measures focused on subsidiaries of the military-run GAESA conglomerate and senior defence officials including the armed forces minister. The actions stemmed from a May executive order that widened the scope of penalties on Cuban government and security personnel.
United Nations data accumulated over decades places the embargo’s overall cost to the Cuban economy in the trillions of dollars, with a specific assessment for 2022-23 estimating annual losses at $4.87 billion. A 2026 country report from the Bertelsmann Transformation Index recorded negative growth rates for 2023 and 2024, driven in part by an 11 percent contraction in trade and 31 percent fall in fuel imports. The combination has intensified strains that began with the COVID-19 collapse of the tourism sector.
The power shortages have led to repeated nationwide blackouts this year and prompted protests that Cuban authorities have met with lengthy prison terms. Medical facilities have turned to backup generators as fuel supplies dwindle, compounding shortages of oncology drugs and other critical treatments. Rubio has indicated in interviews that further sanctions remain under consideration as the administration maintains its comprehensive embargo first proclaimed in 1962.
