New U.S. Sanctions Target Cuba
President Donald Trump has issued a new executive order that imposes increased sanctions on Cuba and enables penalties against foreign firms and banks operating there.
This order, signed recently, builds on an earlier directive from January that designated Cuba as a national security risk for the United States. The latest measures are aimed at applying more pressure on the Cuban government.
Under the new executive order, the U.S. can freeze assets, block financial transactions, and impose penalties on foreign entities who:
- Support Cuba’s security and intelligence activities,
- Engage in corruption or serious human rights abuses linked to Cuba,
- Serve as officials, agents, or material supporters of the Cuban regime, or
- Operate within crucial sectors of the Cuban economy, especially energy and defense.
The order grants the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State the authority to determine which entities are barred from operating.
“This sends multiple messages. The first is that the United States has not forgotten about Cuba. The second is a signal to countries like Russia and China that are increasingly interested in Cuba to stay away. And the third is a warning related to immigration,” remarked Andy Gomez, a former professor and Cuba expert.
Notably, the order allows for trade and financial transactions permitted under specific licenses or government exemptions.
Senator Ashley Moody from Florida has been a strong advocate for defending Cuban rights and freedoms. She has co-sponsored legislation aimed at cutting off funds from Cuba’s military-backed oligarchy and limiting Cuban intelligence operations. She emphasized the significance of the new order for Cuban-Americans who “flee oppression and have long sought action.”
“I firmly support the President’s decisive action today. [The Cuban] regime persists through repression. These sanctions send a clear message: We are combating corruption and dealing with those who threaten our security. No more concessions, no more lifelines. The freedom of the Cuban people demands absolute intolerance of the dictatorship,” she stated.
