Cuban officials have issued a sharp response to the latest sanctions imposed by the United States, which target the country's mining, foreign trade, and metallurgical sectors.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez took to social media platform X to accuse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of deliberately restricting the Cuban population's access to essential services.
The minister stated that the imposed restrictions are dealing a severe blow to small and medium-sized enterprises. Reports indicate that the sanctions have created significant difficulties in the delivery of containers carrying food, medicine, and medical equipment. Rodriguez criticized Washington's policy, labeling it a "failed obsession" against Cuba.
Entities and individuals blacklisted
As part of its ongoing pressure campaign, the US has expanded its sanctions list to include several state institutions and officials. Reports confirm that nine state entities, including the Ministry of Construction, as well as individuals linked to the mining, foreign trade, and metallurgical sectors, have been targeted. Additionally, three high-ranking officials from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) have been sanctioned.
The individuals added to the list include ICAP President Fernando Gonzalez Llort, First Vice President Noemi Rabaza Fernandez, and Director for North America Leyma Martinez Freire. It is noted that Fernando Gonzalez Llort was previously convicted in the US as a member of the "Wasp Network" (Red Avispa) intelligence group before being repatriated to Cuba.
Context on US-Cuba relations
The relationship between Washington and Havana has remained strained for decades, characterized by a complex history of economic embargoes and diplomatic friction. The US trade embargo against Cuba, first imposed in the 1960s, remains one of the longest-standing economic sanctions regimes in modern history. These latest measures reflect the ongoing geopolitical challenges and the divergent foreign policy objectives between the two nations, impacting both the Cuban economy and the humanitarian situation on the island.
