US Sanctions Senior Cuban Officials in Major Escalation Against Havana

(MENAFN) The United States has introduced new sanctions targeting some of Cuba’s highest-ranking officials, including senior political figures, military commanders, and intelligence leaders, in what appears to be a significant tightening of pressure on Havana. The measures also extend to key government ministries linked to justice, energy, and communications, as well as the country’s main intelligence service, according to reports.

“These sanctions advance the Trump Administration’s comprehensive campaign to address the pressing national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and to hold accountable both the regime and those who provide it material support,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Those placed under sanctions include Justice Minister Rosabel Gamon Verde, Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy, Communications Minister Mayra Arevich Marin, and Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez, who serves as president of the National Assembly.

The restrictions further extend to Cuba’s Directorate of Intelligence (DGI), the country’s principal spy agency, along with its leadership, in addition to three senior military figures and a high-ranking official within the Communist Party’s Central Committee.

Beyond the intelligence apparatus, the measures also target the Ministry of Interior (MININT), which oversees policing, internal security operations, and the prison system, as well as the National Revolutionary Police (PNR). The police force has been accused of running mobile detention facilities and using force to suppress public demonstrations, according to reports.

MENAFN19052026000045017640ID1111137611