Further Sanctions On Cuba's Elites, Financial Channels, And Resource Exploitation Apparatus

(MENAFN- U.S. Department of State)

Today, the Department of State is designating five entities and one individual to further the Trump Administration's comprehensive push to end the Cuban regime's malign activities, both in Cuba and across our hemisphere. This action includes imposing sanctions on an additional member of the Castro family and further restricts the regime's ability to fund and resource its repression.

All Department of State targets sanctioned today have been designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, which authorizes sanctions on foreign persons determined to meet specified criteria related to repression in Cuba and other threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy.

Continued Designations of the Castro Regime

FIDEL ERNESTO CASTRO CALIS (CASTRO CALIS), grandson of Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, is being designated pursuant to Sec. 2(a)(i)(I) of E.O. 14404 for being an adult family member of ALEJANDRO CASTRO ESPIN (CASTRO ESPIN), a person designated pursuant to this order. CASTRO ESPIN, who is CASTRO CALIS's father, was designated alongside CASTRO CALIS's brother, RAUL ALEJANDRO CASTRO CALIS, pursuant to E.O. 14404 on June 4, 2026.

Further Restricting the Regime's Ability to Exploit the International Financial System

BANCO EXTERIOR DE CUBA, a Cuban state-owned bank that specializes in corporate banking, foreign-trade finance, and international transactions, is being designated pursuant to Sec. 2(a)(i)(A) of E.O. 14404 for operating in or having operated in the financial services sector of the Cuban economy.

Cuban Entities Exploiting the Metals and Mining Sector

The following entities associated with the exploitation of Cuba's metals and mining sector for the regime's benefit are being designated pursuant to Sec. 2(a)(i)(A) of E.O. 14404 for operating in or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Cuban economy:

EMPRESA DE SERVICIOS COMANDANTE RENE RAMOS LATOUR (NICAROTEC), which is a Cuban state-owned industrial and technical services enterprise which provides geological and mining support for the Cuban nickel sector. EMPRESA IMPORTADORA Y ABASTECEDORA DEL NIQUEL (CEXNI), a foreign-trade and logistics enterprise that imports and supplies specialized raw materials, machinery, and equipment for Cuba's nickel and cobalt industry.

Cuban Entities Exploiting the Energy Sector

The following entities associated with the exploitation of Cuba's energy sector for the regime's benefit are designated:

EMPRESA IMPORTADORA DE ABASTECIMIENTO PARA EL PETROLEO (ABAPET) is being designated pursuant to Sec. 2(a)(i)(B) of E.O. 14404 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, UNION CUBA PETROLEO (CUPET), a person whose property or interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order. ABAPET is a CUPET subsidiary that primarily engages in procurement support activities for CUPET, and has specifically imported technological equipment, spare parts, specialized tools, and industrial inputs required to sustain Cuba's energy sector. COMERCIAL CUPET S.A. is being designated pursuant to Sec. 2(a)(i)(A) of E.O. 14404 for operating in or having operated in the energy sector of the Cuban economy. COMERCIAL CUPET S.A. is a Cuban state-owned entity which represents CUPET in negotiations and joint ventures with foreign entities.

Sanctions Implications

As a result of today's sanctions actions, and in accordance with E.O. 14404 of May 1, 2026,“Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy,” all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all entities that are owned individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

All transactions and dealings by U.S. persons or persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Foreign persons that engage in transactions with persons designated pursuant to E.O. 14404-or that operate or have operated in the energy, defense and related materiel, metals and mining, financial services, or security sector of the

Cuban economy, as identified in E.O. 14404- are themselves at risk of sanctions. Non-U.S. persons, including foreign financial institutions, should proceed with caution in any dealings with a party sanctioned under this authority. Actions to return assets to a sanctioned party or transfer them to another jurisdiction for potential use by the target expose non-U.S. persons to significant sanctions risk. All property and interests in property of persons that are blocked pursuant to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) continue to be blocked. The CACR prohibits persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction from dealing in property in which Cuba or a Cuban national has an interest, unless authorized or exempt.

The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.

Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be routed through OFAC's Reconsiderations Portal. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State's Delisting Guidance page.

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