Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new round of U.S. sanctions against Cuba on Thursday, targeting military-linked business operations and senior executives as negotiations between Washington and Havana continue.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
“The Trump Administration is taking decisive action to protect U.S. national security and deprive Cuba’s communist regime and military of access to illicit assets,” Rubio said in a State Department statement.
The sanctions focus on Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., commonly known as GAESA, which the State Department described as a military-controlled enterprise operating at the center of Cuba’s communist system.
Rubio also imposed sanctions on Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, the executive president of GAESA, along with Moa Nickel S.A., a partially state-run mining company involved in Cuba’s nickel industry.
According to Rubio, the mining company has exploited Cuba’s natural resources for the benefit of the communist government.
The latest sanctions come amid ongoing diplomatic discussions between the Trump administration and the Cuban government.
President Donald Trump has previously referenced the possibility of what he called a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, while Cuban officials have publicly acknowledged talks with the United States.
The new measures signal that despite negotiations, the administration intends to maintain economic pressure on key Cuban government and military-linked institutions.
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