In brief
The U.S. has added a new tier of sanctions against Cuba, targeting state‑owned mining, metal, and construction firms, as well as officials of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures aim to curb Havana’s pro‑Marxist charity network and halt funding for repression. Cuba’s Foreign Minister condemned the move and warned it could cripple basic services. The sanctions build on earlier U.S. pressure, including an oil blockade that has hit Cuba’s already strained power grid.
The U.S. has issued a new round of sanctions targeting Cuban state‑owned mining, metal, and construction firms, as well as officials connected to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures aim to cut off funding for Havana’s alleged “subversive anti‑American” activities.
In his statement, Rubio accused the officials of ferrying “a new brigade of international sympathisers” to Havana to promote the regime’s Marxist agenda. The sanctions list includes nine firms and government ministries linked to the mining and construction sectors.
Cuba’s foreign‑policy chief, Bruno Rodríguez, condemned the sanctions on X, warning that they would “harm the economy” and undermine basic services in a country already suffering from the blockade.
The U.S. blockade has already strained Cuba’s aging power grid, leading to frequent outages that have prompted emergency generators in hospitals. Recent power cuts have sparked rare protests, challenging Havana’s usual suppression of dissent.
