Washington.- The U.S. Department of State announced this Thursday new sanctions against nine entities and two individuals linked to the Cuban government, seeking to limit the access of Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government to funds that Washington considers illicit.
Among the entities identified are three linked to the Cuban energy sector: the Petroleum Research Center (CEINPET), Empresa de Energía S.A. (ENERSA), and Einarbo S.A., according to a statement from the State Department.
The Donald Trump administration also sanctioned several entities that, according to its investigation, are part of the efforts of the Cuban military business conglomerate Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) to circumvent U.S. restrictions, including the Mariel Container Terminal S.A., operator of Cuba’s main container port.
The new U.S. sanctions on Cuba
The new designations also include entities related to the Cuban medical missions system abroad, which the United States accuses of using a forced labor scheme and withholding a significant portion of the salaries of professionals sent overseas.
The two sanctioned officials are the director of the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation (UCCM), Gretza Sánchez Padrón, and the Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda.
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The sanctions place the property and assets of the mentioned entities and individuals under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit transactions by U.S. persons or institutions with them.
The history
While last June, the sanctions reached the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz‑Canel, several of his relatives, and Colonel Alejandro Castro Espín, son of former leader Raúl Castro, former president and younger brother of Fidel Castro.
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Rejection
The Government of Cuba labeled the sanctions announced this Thursday by the U.S. Department of State against nine entities and two officials of the island as an “act of aggression,” and accused Washington of “genocidal intentions” with the aim of provoking a humanitarian crisis.
“Every act of aggression by the U.S. government, such as the measures announced this July 23 by the Secretary of State, demonstrates that the goal is to impose collective punishment against the entire Cuban people,” stated Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, on social media.
Likewise, he pointed out that the U.S. government “continues to deny the existence of the economic siege against Cuba,” but “it is finding it increasingly difficult to hide its genocidal intentions and the desire to provoke a humanitarian crisis” in the Caribbean country.
