US Tightens Sanctions on Cuba

….Targets Tourism Ministry in Fresh Pressure Campaign

The United States has expanded its sanctions against Cuba, targeting the country’s Ministry of Tourism and nine other state-linked entities in a fresh escalation of Washington’s decades-long economic pressure campaign against the Caribbean nation.

The latest measures, announced by the U.S. State Department, add 10 Cuban entities to Washington’s sanctions list, extending restrictions to organisations involved in tourism, fuel imports, exports and foreign trade operations.

Among those sanctioned are ENETEC S.A., Coreydan S.A. and the Foreign Trade Business Group (GECOMEX), all of which play roles in Cuba’s international commercial and energy sectors.

The move marks another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten economic restrictions on Havana, with the Ministry of Tourism—one of Cuba’s most important foreign exchange earners—becoming a key target. The sanctions were imposed under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, broadening the administration’s authority to increase pressure on the Cuban government.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would continue deploying economic and diplomatic measures as part of its policy toward Cuba, maintaining that the sanctions are intended to hold the Cuban government accountable.

The Cuban government, however, condemned the latest restrictions, describing them as an attempt to deepen the country’s economic crisis and intensify what it calls the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade that has been in place for more than six decades.

Havana argued that the new sanctions seek to discourage foreign companies and investors from doing business with Cuban state institutions, particularly those linked to strategic sectors such as tourism and energy.

The sanctions come at a time when Cuba is grappling with one of its worst economic crises in decades, characterised by persistent shortages of fuel, electricity, food and medicines, soaring inflation and a wave of outward migration. Cuban authorities have consistently blamed the U.S. embargo for worsening the country’s economic hardship, while Washington argues that Cuba’s centrally planned economy and government policies are primarily responsible for the crisis.

The latest U.S. action also follows renewed international criticism of the embargo at the United Nations. Earlier this month, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an end to the U.S. embargo against Cuba, with 136 member states voting in favour, nine—including the United States and Israel—voting against, and 30 abstaining.

The General Assembly has adopted similar resolutions annually for more than three decades, reflecting broad international opposition to the embargo. Although the resolutions are not legally binding, they have consistently underscored the diplomatic isolation of the United States on the issue.

Relations between Washington and Havana have remained tense since the United States imposed sweeping sanctions following the 1959 Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro. While some restrictions were eased during the Barack Obama administration, relations deteriorated again under President Donald Trump, who reinstated and expanded sanctions aimed at limiting Cuba’s access to foreign currency and international financing.

The Biden administration retained many of those restrictions, and Trump’s return to office has been accompanied by a renewed commitment to intensify pressure on Havana.

Cuban officials warned that the expanded sanctions would further strain the country’s fragile economy and increase hardship for ordinary citizens, accusing Washington of pursuing a policy designed to force political change on the island. The United States has consistently rejected that characterization, insisting that its sanctions are aimed at the Cuban government and entities linked to it rather than the Cuban people.

The latest measures are expected to further complicate Cuba’s efforts to attract foreign investment and revive its tourism industry, one of the country’s principal sources of revenue as it struggles to recover from years of economic contraction and declining international visitor arrivals.