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The commissioner of Miami-Dade County Natalie Milian Orbis issued an official statement applauding the federal arrest of Adys Lastres Morera, sister of the executive president of the Cuban military conglomerate GAESA, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera.
Adys Lastres Morera was detained in Miami by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the revocation of her permanent residency by direct order from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who identified her as a relative of the top leader of the financial conglomerate controlled by the Cuban military.
Rubio stated that GAESA "steals millions in aid meant for the Cuban people on orders from the regime" and noted that Adys Lastres Morera had been living in Florida, managing real estate assets, while supporting the communist regime in Havana.
According to the dossier, the detained individual was listed as a manager or registered agent of at least two real estate companies in Florida: REMAS Investments LLC and Santa Elena Investments LLC, based in Boca Raton.
Milian Orbis publicly thanked President Donald Trump and Secretary Rubio for the action and was emphatic in his assessment: "Every dollar that flows to GAESA helps finance the repressive machinery of the dictatorship, from political prisons and state surveillance to military and intelligence networks that threaten freedom just 90 miles from our shores."
The commissioner added that "the same regime that terrorizes the Cuban people should never be able to benefit from the freedoms and opportunities of the United States."
Milian Orbis also emphasized the political significance of the arrest for the South Florida community: "This is exactly why we have been advocating for greater oversight, transparency, and stricter enforcement concerning individuals linked to the Cuban regime operating in Miami. The Cuban exile community knows firsthand the suffering caused by the dictatorship and the military apparatus that profits from oppression while the Cuban people live in poverty."
The commissioner has led a series of initiatives in Miami-Dade since January 2026 to highlight gaps in the sanctions against Cuba, including a unanimously approved resolution to suspend federal licenses related to the island until complete audits are conducted.
The arrest of Adys Lastres Morera is part of the Trump administration's maximum pressure strategy against the Cuban regime, which includes direct sanctions against GAESA and Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera on May 7 under Executive Order 14404.
GAESA controls between 40% and 70% of the Cuban economy and manages up to 20 billion dollars in illicit assets, according to U.S. authorities, with revenues exceeding more than three times the budget of the Cuban government.
Secretary Rubio warned that there will be no safe haven in the United States for foreigners who threaten national security or seek to live a life of luxury while supporting hostile regimes, and he sent a direct message to the leadership of the regime: "To the members of the Cuban communist mafia and GAESA, we have a simple message: the appeasement of the past is over."
The deadline set by Washington for foreign companies to sever ties with GAESA under threat of secondary sanctions is June 5, 2026.
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