The Trump Administration announced new sanctions on Thursday against the Cuban military conglomerate GAESA, which is considered by Washington to be the main financial support of the Havana regime.
The measures come amid a rising wave of pressure driven by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They were adopted under Executive Order 14404, signed by Trump on May 1st, and also target the Cuban executive Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera and the company Moa Nickel S.A. (MNSA), linked to the island's mining sector.
In the official statement, Rubio asserted that the Trump Administration is taking “decisive measures to protect the national security of the United States and deprive the communist regime and the armed forces of Cuba of access to illicit assets.”
Washington accuses GAESA of controlling a significant portion of the Cuban economy and operating a system designed to benefit exclusively the military and political elite of the country, while the population faces a deep economic crisis, power outages, and shortages of food and medicine.
“GAESA, a holding company controlled by the Cuban military, is at the heart of Cuba's kleptocratic communist system,” stated the Department of State.
According to the statement, the military conglomerate controls "approximately 40% or more of the island's economy" and manages revenues that "likely triple the state budget."
Washington also claims that GAESA could control up to 20 billion dollars in illicit assets abroad.
The sanctions include Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, identified as the executive president of GAESA and pointed out by the United States as responsible for managing the organization's assets outside of Cuba.
Additionally, the State Department sanctioned Moa Nickel S.A., a joint venture between the Canadian Sherritt International Corporation and the Cuban state-owned company Compañía General del Níquel.
According to Washington, the company "has exploited Cuba's natural resources to benefit the regime at the expense of the Cuban people."
The statement also includes one of the most serious accusations recently made by Washington against Havana.
Rubio stated that the Cuban regime has turned the island into "a platform for foreign intelligence, military, and terrorist operations" just 145 kilometers from U.S. territory.
As part of the measures, all assets and property interests of the sanctioned entities and individuals that are located in the United States or under the control of U.S. citizens are blocked.
Additionally, financial or commercial transactions with the individuals and companies included on the list are prohibited.
What sanctions directly affect GAESA?
- Inclusion of GAESA in the list of sanctioned entities by the United States: the military conglomerate is blocked under Executive Order 14404.
- Asset freezing under U.S. jurisdiction: all property and equity interests of GAESA in the United States or under the control of U.S. persons are blocked.
- Blocking of companies controlled by GAESA: entities in which GAESA holds, directly or indirectly, 50% or more are also affected.
- Prohibition of transactions with U.S. persons: citizens, companies, and institutions from the United States are not allowed to conduct commercial or financial transactions with GAESA, except with authorization or exemption from OFAC.
- Prohibition on providing funds, goods, or services: it is prohibited to supply or receive funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of GAESA.
- Risk of sanctions for foreign third parties: individuals, companies, or non-U.S. financial institutions engaging in transactions with GAESA may be exposed to sanctions.
- Increased scrutiny on overseas assets: the statement notes that GAESA controls illicit assets outside of Cuba, which are now under greater pressure from Washington.
Washington also warned that foreign companies and financial institutions that conduct business with sanctioned entities could be exposed to future punitive measures.
The Trump Administration made it clear that this new round of sanctions is part of a broader strategy of pressure against the Cuban regime. “New sanctions are expected in the coming days and weeks,” the statement notes.
The State Department indicated that these actions aim to increase pressure on those responsible for repression in Cuba and to promote "human rights, the rule of law, free markets, and democracy" on the island.
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