U.S. imposes sanctions on Cuban President and Castro family members

The U.S. government on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on several Cuban officials, including President Miguel Díaz-Canel and members of the Castro family. The sanctions also target the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces.

Among those sanctioned are the son and a grandson of former President Raúl Castro, who, despite holding no official position, remains central to decisions regarding the island's future. The wife and stepson of the current Cuban president were also added to the U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions list.

U.S.-Cuba relations have deteriorated considerably since the beginning of the year. Washington has imposed a de facto oil blockade on the island, issued new sanctions against Cuban companies and leaders, and indicted former President Raúl Castro in a case dating back to 1996. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called the communist island a "extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security.

Despite the escalating tensions, both governments state that diplomatic contacts are ongoing. Raúl Castro's son, Alejandro Castro Espin, was a key figure in the secret negotiations between Cuba and the United States that led to the restoration of diplomatic relations in 2015. When Washington imposes sanctions on individuals and entities, any assets they hold in the United States are frozen. U.S. companies and citizens are also prohibited from doing business with them, under penalty of also being targeted by sanctions.