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The Political Science professor Orlando J. Pérez from the University of North Texas in Dallas warned that the new sanctions announced by Marco Rubio against GAESA are a clear sign that the negotiations between Washington and Havana "are not going well."
In a message posted on X, Pérez pointed out that the new sanctions against the Cuban military conglomerate, combined with previous sanctions and the recent movements of the U.S. Southern Command, represent "clear signs" that the negotiation process is in crisis.
"The gap between the changes that Cubans will undertake and what the U.S. can offer is where the negotiations will falter. It seems we have reached that limit," wrote the academic, who has testified before the U.S. Congress about Cuba and Venezuela.
Pérez also warned that "the next steps depend on how bold the White House is willing to be, given the quagmire in the Middle East."
The sanctions announced on Thursday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio designate Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), director Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, and the mining company Moa Nickel S.A., under the Executive Order signed by Trump on May 1.
Rubio described GAESA as "the heart of the kleptocratic communist system of Cuba" and estimated that the conglomerate controls about 60% of the island's economy, with illicit assets amounting to as much as 20 billion dollars.
"While the Cuban people suffer from hunger and disease, a large portion of GAESA's income goes directly to the communist regime, the military, and the secret police to finance their repression," Rubio stated in his declaration.
Regarding Moa Nickel, the Secretary of State stated that the company "has exploited Cuba's natural resources to benefit the regime at the expense of the Cuban people" and that it "profits from assets that were originally expropriated by the Cuban regime from American citizens and corporations."
On the same day as the sanctions, Sherritt International left Cuba, suspending all its operations and beginning the repatriation of expatriate employees, with its stock falling by up to 30%.
The sanctions come at a time of heightened diplomatic tension. This Wednesday, Rubio was photographed in front of a map of Cuba at the South Command headquarters in Doral, Florida, during the 2026 Conference of Chiefs of Mission, and acknowledged that the meeting "had something to do with Cuba."
The context is that of secret negotiations—known as "Operation Cubastroika"—which began in February 2026 and included details of a secret meeting of Rubio's team with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of Raúl Castro, bypassing Díaz-Canel.
On April 20, the U.S. issued a two-week ultimatum to release high-profile political prisoners. When the deadline passed without a satisfactory response, Trump signed the new executive order on May 1.
Since January 2026, the U.S. has imposed over 240 sanctions against the Cuban regime and intercepted at least seven tankers, reducing the island's energy imports by between 80% and 90%.
Rubio warned that "additional appointments can be expected in the coming days and weeks," and neither he nor Trump have ruled out military action.
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