{"id":17284,"date":"2026-06-23T18:31:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284"},"modified":"2026-06-23T18:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:31:35","slug":"us-slaps-new-sanctions-on-cuban-companies-key-to-islands-crumbling-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284","title":{"rendered":"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By D\u00c1NICA COTO<\/strong><\/p>\n

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) \u2014 The U.S. hit Cuban state companies on Tuesday with new sanctions that analysts say are expected to spook foreign investors and deepen a severe economic crisis.<\/p>\n

Read more From renter to owner, Sharpton locks in National Action Network\u2019s Harlem foothold for the long haul<\/a><\/p>\n

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions target five Cuban entities, including three linked to Grupo de Administraci\u00f3n Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate run by Cuba\u2019s Revolutionary Armed Forces. Best known as GAESA, it is believed to command nearly 40% of Cuba\u2019s gross domestic product. As of early 2024, it held $14.5 billion in liquid reserves.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe situation in Cuba is devolving as the island\u2019s corrupt, brutal and anti-American Communist regime continues to prioritize its own total control over the freedom, opportunity and basic well-being of the Cuban people,\u201d Rubio wrote on X.<\/p>\n

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, accused \u201cregime elites\u201d of using GAESA to \u201csteal the island\u2019s few resources, diverting them for repression, anti-American subversion and spying instead of schools, power plants, and basic necessities for the Cuban people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bruno Rodr\u00edguez, Cuba\u2019s foreign affairs minister, rejected the sanctions, calling Rubio \u201cdishonest and mendacious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCuba has proven stronger, more capable, and more effective than he anticipated in the face of the ruthless aggression and collective punishment inflicted upon its people and their living conditions,\u201d he wrote on X. \u201cWhat this individual is promoting from the world\u2019s greatest power is a crime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyone that provides services to the targeted Cuban entities risks being sanctioned and cut off from the U.S. financial system.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cBy designating specific entities, they\u2019re making it clear to foreign investors: \u2018If your business in Cuba touches any of these folks, you risk being banned,\u2019\u201d said Michael Bustamante, a professor and chair in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor most of these companies, it\u2019s a bridge too far,\u201d he said of the impact of the new sanctions.<\/p>\n

The 5 entities sanctioned are key to Cuba\u2019s economy<\/h4>\n

Almacenes Universales S.A., or AUSA, is among the entities sanctioned. As the government\u2019s main logistics and warehousing company, it holds up Cuba\u2019s export and import system. It\u2019s also the main storage company used by the state, Cuba\u2019s private sector and foreign investor partners, Bustamante said.<\/p>\n

Last week, Cuba announced a series of economic reforms, including allowing the private sector to bypass the state when importing goods. But Bustamante said he doesn\u2019t believe that measure is operational yet.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

If people or companies avoid doing business with the storage entities, he said, that could disrupt the flow of goods and lead to humanitarian consequences.<\/p>\n

Also sanctioned was Rafin S.A., which Bustamante described as a \u201cvery opaque\u201d company that he believes operates as the corporate financial arm within GAESA. He said it\u2019s not a bank but holds capital from the government and GAESA and may be a player in financial deals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would also seemingly throw more cold water on the foreign investors that are already there,\u201d Bustamante said.<\/p>\n

Read more Comedian Carlos Mencia pleads not guilty to 12 felony charges of failure to pay taxes<\/a><\/p>\n

The third GAESA-related entity that was sanctioned is Banco Financiero Internacional S.A., a commercial bank that Bustamante said serves as a key institution for foreign investors. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a bank where you can go as a foreign investor, it makes your operations logistically quite difficult, to put it mildly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Max Meizlish, a former U.S. Treasury sanctions enforcement officer, said the bank was targeted because it\u2019s \u201ca key nexus\u201d for GAESA-related funds: \u201cThis is significant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also sanctioned were Geominera S.A., a state-owned mining company, and Empresa Sider\u00fargica Jose Mart\u00ed, which the U.S. described as Cuba\u2019s largest raw steel producer.<\/p>\n

The final sanction was slapped against Annalie Lilliam Rueda Cardero, daughter-in-law of former President Ra\u00fal Castro.<\/p>\n

Sanctions imposed days after sweeping economic reforms<\/h4>\n

The sanctions are the latest in a recent string that have targeted GAESA itself and Cuban President Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very, very hard to suss out what\u2019s going on here,\u201d Bustamante said. \u201cIs this setting the table for the great sale of Cuba state assets to the highest bidder or the lowest bidder?\u2026Is this part of the recipe of a hostile takeover?\u201d<\/p>\n

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump keeps pressuring for a change in Cuba\u2019s political and economic model, accusing the island of representing a threat to the U.S. because of its ties to U.S. adversaries. The Cuban government has repeatedly denied it\u2019s a threat.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Cuba unveiled economic reforms last week that Bustamante described as \u201cpotentially the most significant liberalization of the Cuban economy in 60 years,\u201d though he said questions and doubts remain.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said the reforms \u201care modest, long overdue and ultimately superficial smoke signals from the Cuban regime. This is part of the dictatorship\u2019s handbook: announce a cycle of supposed reforms to insinuate a desire for change, then quickly roll back any changes the moment the regime\u2019s total control is at all threatened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. administration is going to continue applying pressure on the regime until the regime is a different beast entirely,\u201d said Meizlish, a research fellow with the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies.<\/p>\n

Cuba is already struggling with severe blackouts, food and water shortages and a crumbling healthcare system stemming in part from a U.S. energy blockade. In late January, Trump threatened tariffs against any country that sells or provides oil to the island, which depended heavily on oil shipments from Venezuela that were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country.<\/p>\n

Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, contributed.<\/em><\/p>\n

Follow AP\u2019s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at <\/em>https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/latin-america<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more Rubio arrives in UAE with aim to head off Gulf Arab unease over tentative Iran deal<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The U.S. sanctioned five Cuban entities tied to GAESA, a move expected to deter foreign investors and worsen the nation’s severe economic crisis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-based-on-facts-either-observed-and-verified-directly-by-the-reporter-or-reported-and-verified-from-knowledgeable-sources","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nUS slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy - Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The U.S. sanctioned five Cuban entities tied to GAESA, a move expected to deter foreign investors and worsen the nation's severe economic crisis.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-23T18:31:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\"},\"headline\":\"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-23T18:31:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284\"},\"wordCount\":1033,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284\",\"name\":\"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy - Silicon Valley Moving Post\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-23T18:31:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":682},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=17284#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Silicon Valley Moving Post\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy - Silicon Valley Moving Post","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy - Silicon Valley Moving Post","og_description":"The U.S. sanctioned five Cuban entities tied to GAESA, a move expected to deter foreign investors and worsen the nation's severe economic crisis.","og_url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284","og_site_name":"Silicon Valley Moving Post","article_published_time":"2026-06-23T18:31:35+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#\/schema\/person\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7"},"headline":"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy","datePublished":"2026-06-23T18:31:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284"},"wordCount":1033,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp","articleSection":["Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.","News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284","url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284","name":"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy - Silicon Valley Moving Post","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp","datePublished":"2026-06-23T18:31:35+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#\/schema\/person\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/28d16b98e6582b344bd5e5deec69b533.webp","width":1024,"height":682},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=17284#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"US slaps new sanctions on Cuban companies key to island\u2019s crumbling economy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/","name":"Silicon Valley Moving Post","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#\/schema\/person\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com"],"url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}