United States imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, citing his role in the regime’s “brutality toward the Cuban people.”

United States imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, citing his role in the regime’s “brutality toward the Cuban people.”

The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, citing his role in the regime's "brutality toward the Cuban people." The move comes on the fourth anniversary of historic anti-government protests in Cuba, which resulted in widespread arrests and one death. The sanctions were announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused the Cuban government of torturing dissident leader Jose Daniel Ferrer, four years after the government crushed massive protests [1].

The sanctions target not only President Díaz-Canel but also other high-ranking officials, including Defense Minister Alvaro Lopez Miera and Interior Minister Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas. The US State Department has also added the "Torre K," a 42-story hotel in Havana, to its restricted list of entities to prevent US dollars from funding the Cuban regime's repression [1].

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez slammed the latest measures, stating that the US administration cannot "bend the will of its people or its leaders." The sanctions have sparked criticism, with some arguing that the Cuban government is investing heavily in new hotels at a time when tourism is declining, while the Cuban people suffer shortages of food, water, medicine, and electricity [1].

The sanctions come as the United States has put Cuba back on the blacklist of countries sponsoring terrorism after former US president Joe Biden agreed to remove the island from the list. In January, 553 prisoners were released, including Jose Daniel Ferrer, but his parole was revoked at the end of April, prompting criticism from Washington [1].

The sanctions are part of a broader effort by the United States to increase pressure on the Cuban government and hold it accountable for human rights abuses and repression. The move is likely to have significant implications for US-Cuban relations and the Cuban economy.

References:
[1] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250711-us-sanctions-cuban-president-four-years-after-historic-protests