The U.S. government announced on Thursday a new round of sanctions against the Cuban regime that targets nine entities and two high-ranking officials, in an offensive aimed at the energy sector, the evasion of sanctions by the military conglomerate GAESA, and the overseas medical mission program.
The measures were adopted by the State Department under Executive Order 14404, signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, 2026, which authorizes the imposition of sanctions on individuals and entities linked to repression in Cuba and activities deemed a threat to the national security of the United States.
Blow to the energy sector
In the energy sector, Washington added the Oil Research Center S.A. (CEINPET) to the list of sanctioned entities, which is the research and development arm of the already sanctioned Union Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET).
The Energy Company S.A. (ENERSA), dedicated to the importation of gas and lubricants, and EINARBO S.A., the company responsible for importing those same products from Mexico and India, were also designated.
Washington accuses GAESA of reorganizing its businesses to evade sanctions
The State Department stated that GAESA continues to attempt to protect its assets and income through corporate restructuring and the use of intermediary companies to circumvent the restrictions imposed by the United States.
As an example, it mentioned the transfer of the Port of Mariel to Coral Marítima S.A., which took place in mid-June and, according to Washington, constitutes an attempt to circumvent existing sanctions.
In that context, CEIBA Investments Limited, a Guernsey-based firm dedicated to real estate investments in Cuba whose Panamanian subsidiary took control of an old joint venture of GAESA, and ORBIT S.A., a remittance processor that, according to the State Department, is "almost certainly" controlled by the military conglomerate, were also sanctioned.
New sanctions against the medical mission system
The third line of action targets the international medical missions program, which the Trump administration continues to categorize as a form of forced labor and human trafficking.
The United States sanctioned the Cuban Medical Services Marketing Company S.A. (CSMC), described in the official statement as the main source of foreign currency income for the regime, as well as the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation (UCCM), the agency responsible for recruiting and managing the professionals sent abroad.
At the same time, the Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, and the director of the UCCM, Gretza Sánchez Padrón, were sanctioned.
The State Department reiterated that the Cuban government retains between 50% and 95% of the salary that recipient countries pay for the services of Cuban doctors, a system that, according to Washington, affects tens of thousands of professionals deployed in over 50 countries.
Washington's offensive is expanding
The new designations are part of a pressure strategy that the Trump administration has intensified during 2026.
In mid-July, Washington had already sanctioned another ten entities linked to the regime, including GEMAR, the Ministry of Tourism, the Rapid Response Brigades, and the Territorial Troops Militias.
The sanctions announced this Thursday involve the freezing of all assets and interests of those designated that are under U.S. jurisdiction. Additionally, the State Department warned that foreign companies and financial institutions engaging in operations with the sanctioned individuals could be subject to restrictive measures.
"The ultimate goal of the sanctions is not to punish, but to encourage a positive change in behavior," concluded the State Department in the statement accompanying the new measures.
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