Archive · 21 Aug 2026
US Sanctions Cuban Officials and Nine Entities Over Repression
The United States has placed sanctions on three Cuban officials and nine Cuban organizations.
Sanctions are penalties that can restrict access to money and property in the United States.
The officials are leaders of an organization called ICAP.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says ICAP helps Cuba influence and recruit people through educational and cultural programs.
One sanctioned official, Fernando Gonzalez Llort, was previously imprisoned in the United States as part of the Cuban Five.
The sanctioned organizations include Cuba’s construction ministry and companies connected to mining, metals, worker contracts, and imports.
The United States says some of these organizations support Cuba’s government and activities that threaten US security.
Any property they control in the United States must be frozen under the measures.
The United States sanctioned three Cuban officials and nine state-linked entities.
The targeted officials lead the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, or ICAP.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused ICAP of supporting a Cuban subversive network in the United States.
The sanctioned entities include Cuba’s construction ministry and companies in mining, metals, labor supply, and trade.
US-held property and interests belonging to the designees must be blocked and reported to the Treasury Department.
- Who
- The United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, three Cuban officials, and nine Cuban state-linked entities.
- What
- The United States imposed sanctions on the officials and entities, blocking their US-held property and interests.
- When
- The measures were announced on Thursday; the article does not provide a calendar date.
- Where
- The sanctions concern Cuban officials and entities, with restrictions applying to property in the United States or controlled by US persons.
- Why
- The United States accused the targets of supporting Cuba’s repressive apparatus, a subversive network, and activities considered threats to US national security.
- Sanctioned officials
- Fernando Gonzalez Llort, Noemi Ramona Rabaza Fernandez, and Leima Martinez Freire
- Sanctioned entities
- Nine Cuban state-linked entities, including the Ministry of Construction of Cuba
- Targeted organization
- The Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, known as ICAP
- Gonzalez Llort’s history
- He was identified as one of the Cuban Five, spent 15 years in a US prison, and returned to Cuba in 2014
- Industries affected
- Construction, metals, mining, international trade, and labor supply
- Labor-related allegation
- The State Department said ACOREC S.A. had reportedly taken more than 90 percent of wages paid by foreign entities for Cuban labor
- US enforcement
- Covered property and interests must be blocked and reported to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control