US imposes new sanctions on Cuban president, members of Castro family

The United States has announced fresh economic sanctions targeting Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, members of his immediate family, and relatives of former leader Raúl Castro, in a renewed escalation of pressure on the communist-led island.

Among those sanctioned are Díaz-Canel, his wife and stepson, as well as the son and a grandson of Raúl Castro, who remains an influential figure in Cuba despite holding no official government position. The measures also extend to Cuba’s Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and several other state-linked entities, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The sanctions were issued by the U.S. Treasury Department as part of a broader policy of increased pressure on Havana. The United States has maintained a decades-long embargo on Cuba, but recent months have seen an expansion of targeted restrictions on government officials and institutions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was “targeting the network that enables and funds Cuba’s subversive and radical operations” and stated that the United States would “no longer tolerate radical Marxist regimes” exporting their “poisonous and evil ‘revolution’” abroad.

Rubio added that the sanctions now apply to the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, Amistur Cuba, and the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution.

“Anyone providing services to these sanctioned actors is at risk of sanctions themselves. Foreign banks and other companies that provide services to these entities should freeze those activities,” Rubio said.

The latest measures follow earlier actions by Washington, including visa restrictions on Cuban officials. U.S. President Donald Trump has also signaled an intensified approach toward Cuba, amid broader regional pressure policies that have already heavily impacted the island’s economy.

By Sabina Mammadli