Washington, June 24: The Trump administration has broadened its sanctions on Cuba, targeting five entities linked to key sectors of the island nation’s economy and a member of the Castro family. Washington has described this move as a significant step to restrict revenue sources for the Cuban government.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced these measures, stating that the sanctions are aimed at those entities and individuals that “finance, promote, or benefit from harmful activities of the Cuban regime and throughout the region.”
The sanctions specifically target three entities associated with the “Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A.” (GAESA). GAESA is a large business conglomerate run by the military, which the U.S. considers the economic backbone of the Cuban government.
Rubio emphasized, “GAESA continues to operate as an economic force behind the repressive security apparatus of the Cuban regime.” The State Department noted that among the sanctioned entities are two financial institutions involved in transactions for the Cuban government, along with a logistics company that supports operations across the island.
One of the identified entities is “Almaseenes Universales S.A.” (AUSA), a subsidiary of GAESA that provides storage, transport, and port-related services. The State Department stated that this company manages container traffic in Cuba’s “Mariel Special Development Zone,” a significant logistics hub that has attracted foreign investment.
Sanctions have also been placed on “Rafin S.A.” and “BFI,” both operating in Cuba’s financial services sector. According to the State Department, Rafin serves as a core financial management branch of GAESA, while BFI handles most banking operations related to foreign entities trading with Cuba. The U.S. administration has also intensified pressure on Cuba’s mining and metals industries.
Additionally, the U.S. has designated Anali Lilium Rueda Cardero due to her connection to Alejandro Castro Espin’s family. Alejandro Castro Espin is the former head of Cuba’s intelligence services and the son of former leader Raul Castro. He was sanctioned earlier this month.
The U.S. State Department has warned that foreign companies and financial institutions engaging with the sanctioned entities or operating in Cuba’s financial, mining, security, defense, or energy sectors may face repercussions.
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