US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on five Cuban companies and eight individuals accused of helping Cuba acquire military equipment for its armed forces.
The measures freeze any assets the targeted entities hold in the United States and bar Americans from doing business with them. Foreign banks and companies operating in the US could also face sanctions if they continue working with the designated entities.
At a glance:
- The sanctions were announced by Rubio in a social media post on Thursday.
- The US says the targeted companies and individuals support Cuba’s military procurement and maintenance.
- The measures are part of President Donald Trump’s wider campaign to increase pressure on Cuba.
- The targets include military companies and senior officials, including Defence Minister Alvaro Lopez Miera and Chief of the General Staff Roberto Legra Sotolongo.
Who was targeted
The businesses named include Tecnoimport, which the US State Department says imports military equipment from Russia and China for Cuba’s armed forces. The sanctions also target the Union de Industria Militar, which manufactures and repairs weapons systems, and EMI Yuri Gagarin, which the US says repairs and maintains Cuba’s Russian-made military aircraft.
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The individuals include senior Cuban military leaders such as Defence Minister Alvaro Lopez Miera and Chief of the General Staff Roberto Legra Sotolongo. The US says the targets are connected to Cuba’s efforts to buy and maintain military equipment while strengthening ties with Russia, Iran and China.
Part of a broader Cuba pressure campaign
Rubio’s announcement adds to a series of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration since the president returned to office for a second term in 2025. Last month, the Treasury Department sanctioned nine entities and two individuals, accusing them of helping Cuba’s government maintain control over its energy, financial and overseas medical labour sectors and evade earlier US sanctions.
The administration has also reinstated Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, a label first applied during the final month of Trump’s first term. In May, Trump issued an executive order authorising broad penalties against people and organisations accused of supporting Cuba’s security apparatus. Rubio said the administration would continue using every tool at its disposal against what it described as threats from the Cuban government.
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