U.S. intensifies pressure on Cuba with new sanctions

The United States has escalated its pressure campaign against Cuba, imposing new sanctions on state-owned companies and officials. The move comes as the island nation grapples with one of its worst economic crises in decades. The Treasury and State Departments targeted nine companies involved in mining, metals, and construction, as well as leaders of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused ICAP of fostering a network to "identify, recruit, and radicalize" U.S. citizens, asserting that the Trump administration would not allow Havana to exploit American freedoms for "subversive" activities. Among those sanctioned is Fernando González Llort, president of ICAP and a former Cuban intelligence agent. These measures are part of a broader U.S. effort to cut off funding sources for the Cuban government. The Trump administration has also tightened enforcement of rules prohibiting Americans from transacting with state-controlled companies during their visits to the island. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced the new measures, accusing Washington of deliberately aiming to harm Cuba's economy and hinder its ability to provide essential services to its population. He defended ICAP as an institution dedicated to international solidarity and cooperation. The U.S. pressure intensifies as Cuba faces severe fuel shortages and an energy crisis exacerbated by an oil blockade following the downfall of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, which had previously supplied subsidized crude oil to the island. The lack of fuel has led to widespread blackouts, severe public transport restrictions, increased medicine shortages, and reduced working hours, further worsening an economy already in decline.

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identify, recruit, and radicalize