US targets Cuban political, military leaders with new sanctions

The United States on Monday imposed new sanctions on Cuba, targeting 11 senior officials, military leaders, and the country’s main intelligence agency as the Trump administration stepped up pressure on the communist-led government in Havana.

The sanctions were announced by the U.S. Treasury and State Departments as part of Washington’s broader effort to tighten restrictions on the island. The administration has also taken steps to limit oil shipments from Venezuela to Cuba, adding strain to the country’s fuel supply and worsening ongoing power outages.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Cuba’s government, describing it as corrupt and ineffective. His administration has increased economic pressure on Havana by warning other countries and companies against providing fuel and support to the island.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department said the Cuban government had spent decades prioritizing its political ideology and the interests of its ruling elites over the needs of ordinary citizens. The department also accused Cuba of supporting foreign intelligence and security operations.

Officials sanctioned by the United States include Communications Minister Mayra Arevich Marin, National Assembly President Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez, senior Communist Party official Roberto Tomas Morales Ojeda, General Joaquin Quintas Sola, and military officer Raul Villar Kessel. Several other lower-ranking officials were also included in the measures.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also sanctioned Cuba’s Directorate of Intelligence, the country’s primary intelligence agency. Meanwhile, the State Department designated Cuba’s Interior Ministry and the Policia Nacional Revolucionaria, accusing them of suppressing protests and operating mobile detention units.

The latest sanctions follow an executive order signed by Trump earlier this month that expanded Washington’s authority to target individuals and entities tied to key sectors of Cuba’s economy. The order also allows penalties against foreign financial institutions that conduct business with sanctioned groups.

The Trump administration is also expected to announce criminal charges against former Cuban president Raul Castro later this week, according to a U.S. Justice Department official. U.S. officials said additional sanctions against Cuba could be announced in the coming weeks. -Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Katharine Jackson , editing by Michelle Nichols and Sanjeev Miglani/Reuters