Trump imposes more sanctions on Cuban officials

The Trump administration announced on Monday, May 18, that it was imposing more sanctions on Cuban officials in order to “protect US national security and deprive Cuba’s communist regime and military of access to illicit assets.”

“Today, pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, ‘Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to United States National Security and Foreign Policy,’ I designated 11 Cuban regime elites and three government organizations, including government officials and military figures associated with Cuba’s security apparatus, many of whom are responsible for or have been involved in repressing the Cuban people,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants in Miami, in a statement. 

“These sanctions advance the Trump administration’s comprehensive campaign to address the pressing national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and to hold accountable both the regime and those who provide it material support,” he added. “Regime-aligned actors such as those designated today bear responsibility for the suffering of the Cuban people, the failing Cuban economy, and the exploitation of Cuba for foreign intelligence, military, and terror operations.  

Rubio, who added that additional sanctions could be forthcoming, said the State Department’s action was being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, “which authorizes sweeping sanctions on Cuba, including persons who support the Cuban regime’s security apparatus and those responsible for repression in Cuba and threats to US national security.”

He said this action also furthers both Executive Order 14380, “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba” and National Security Presidential Memorandum 5 (NSPM-5), “which directs the Executive Branch to improve human rights, encourage the rule of law, foster free markets and free enterprise, and promote democracy in Cuba.”

The Department of State said separately that it was sanctioning “11 Cuban regime-aligned actors and three entities in furtherance of the Trump administration’s comprehensive campaign to address the pressing national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and hold accountable the regime and those who provide it material or financial support.”  

In addition, the State Department said several actors were sanctioned for “being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of Cuba or an entity whose property or interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14404.”

They included Eddy Manuel Sierra Arias, chief of the General Directorate of the PNR; Oscar Alejandro Callejas Valcarce, chief of the Political Directorate of the concurrently designated MININT and the former director of the also concurrently designated PNR; and Rosabel Gamon Verde, the Minister of Justice of Cuba.

Others were Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez, president of Cuba’s National Assembly for People’s Power; Vicente de la o Levy, Minister of Energy and Mines of Cuba; Mayra Arevich Marin, Minister of Communications of Cuba; Jose Miguel Gomez del Vallin, Chief of Staff of Military Counterintelligence; Raul Villar Kessell, Chief of the Central Army of Cuba; Roberto Tomas Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba; and Eugenio Armando Rabilero Aguilera, chief of the Eastern Army of Cuba. 

Rubio said that, as a result of sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, “Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to US National Security and Foreign Policy”, “all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).”

The State Department said The Ministry of Interior of Cuba (MININT) was designated, as well as the Policia Nacional Revolucionaria (PNR), which is a police force under MININT accused of operating mobile prisons and violent suppression of protests; and the Directorate of Intelligence of Cuba (DGI), which is the primary intelligence agency of the Government of Cuba under MININT. 

 On May 7, Rubio said the Trump administration was imposing sanctions on Cuba’s military and elites. 

He said the administration’s sanctions were aimed at depriving Cuba’s government and military of “access to illicit assets.” 

Rubio said he “designated” Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) for “operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Cuban economy.”   

The US Secretary of State also said he “designated” Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera (LASTRES) for “being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of GAESA.” 

In addition, Rubio said he “designated” Moa Nickel SA (MNSA) for “operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Cuban economy.” 

“These sanctions are part of the Trump administration’s comprehensive campaign to address the pressing national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and hold accountable the regime and those who provide it material or financial support,” he said.

Rubio charged that GAESA, a Cuban military-controlled umbrella enterprise, is “the heart of Cuba’s kleptocratic communist system.”

“Controlling an estimated 40% or more of the island’s economy, GAESA is involved in various sectors of the Cuban economy and is designed to generate income not for the Cuban people, but only for the benefit of its corrupt elites,” he alleged. 

“While the Cuban people suffer from hunger, disease and chronic under-investment in critical infrastructure such as its power grid, much of the proceeds of GAESA’s activities are funneled away to hidden overseas bank accounts,” Rubio added. 

He pointed to recent public estimates that claimed that GAESA’s revenues are “likely more than three times the state’s budget,” and that “GAESA likely controls up to $20 billion in illicit assets.”

Rubio also claimed that Lastres, the executive president of GAESA, is “responsible for the management of GAESA’s illicit assets held internationally.” 

In addition, the US Secretary of State, claimed that MNSA, a joint venture between Sherritt International Corporation and the Cuban state-owned La Compania General de Niquel, “has exploited Cuba’s natural resources to benefit the regime at the expense of the Cuban people.”

“It profits from assets that were originally expropriated by the Cuban regime from US persons and corporations,” he said.