US Tightens Cuba Sanctions, Targets Officials and State Entities

The United States imposed a new round of sanctions on Cuba on Thursday, targeting three officials and nine state-controlled entities as the Trump administration increases economic pressure on Havana.

The measures focus on senior figures linked to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), a government-run organization responsible for cultivating relationships with foreign solidarity groups. Washington also blacklisted several entities operating in Cuba’s metals, mining and construction industries, including the Ministry of Construction.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused ICAP of operating what he described as a “vast subversive network” inside the United States while presenting its activities as educational and cultural exchanges.

According to Rubio, Cuban authorities recently sought to use events marking the 100th anniversary of former leader Fidel Castro’s birth to attract foreign sympathizers to Havana and establish connections between them and government officials.

Rubio said the latest Cuba sanctions demonstrate that President Donald Trump’s administration will not tolerate efforts by Havana to finance domestic repression or conduct activities that Washington considers hostile to U.S. interests.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez condemned the sanctions, arguing that Washington is intentionally seeking to weaken Cuba’s economy and restrict the government’s ability to provide essential services.

In a post on X, Rodriguez said the measures could disrupt imports of food, medicines and medical equipment, including products purchased by Cuba’s growing private small-business sector. He also criticized the decision to sanction ICAP officials, describing Rubio’s approach toward Cuba as a “failed obsession.”

The latest U.S. sanctions add to mounting pressure on the Cuban government as relations between Washington and Havana remain strained.

Thursday’s action follows an executive order signed by Trump in May that expanded the scope of U.S. sanctions targeting Cuban government officials, security forces and individuals or organizations accused of supporting the government.