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US raises pressure on Cuba as it sanctions President Diaz-Canel
TL;DR
The US has sanctioned Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel as part of increased pressure on Cuba's leadership. The sanctions also target his family and key military entities amid ongoing energy blockades causing critical shortages.
Key points
- US imposes sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel
- Sanctions target Diaz-Canel's family and military entities
- Energy blockade causing blackouts and food shortages in Cuba
Mentioned in this story
Miguel Diaz-CanelRaul CastroFidel CastroUS TreasuryMinistry of the Revolutionary Armed ForcesCommittees for the Defense of the Revolution
The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the latest of numerous measures adopted against the communist-led island.
The sanctions, revealed on Thursday on the US Treasury’s website, are part of Washington’s efforts to raise pressure on Cuba’s leadership. An energy blockade enforced by the US Navy has provoked critical blackouts and food shortages.
The new sanctions also take aim at the president’s wife and stepson, as well as the son and a grandson of former president Raul Castro, brother of Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro, for whom the US issued an arrest warrant last month.
The Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces has also been targeted, along with the Cuban military and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), which is tasked with monitoring counter-revolutionary activity.
Washington claims that Cuba’s communist regime threatens US security. President Donald Trump has been threatening to take military action against the island since abducting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January, as he raises efforts to push left-wing governments out of the Americas, which he insists is crucial for US interests.
“We’ll take care of the Islamic republic of Iran, and as soon as that’s done, on our way back, we’ll just make a little brief stopover,” Trump said on Thursday, alluding to Cuba.
Diaz-Canel accused Trump of trying to “strengthen the blockade and scenario of conflict between Cuba and the United States”.
“This political blindness is added to the coercive measures applied in recent weeks against our country, designed to harm the Cuban people. The aggressiveness and perversity of the Yankee government will clash with our determination to confront the worst scenarios and resist the imperialist onslaught,” the Cuban leader wrote on social media.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called the sanctions “vile” and described them as the latest example of US interventionism.
“Every threat against the independence and sovereignty of Cuba will be met with an even greater unity and resolve from our people,” he wrote.
‘Sort of collapsed’
Cuba has been under a US trade embargo since 1962, but Trump has significantly ramped up pressure.
Cuba has been without diesel for generators since January, resulting in power outages of up to 22 hours a day and water shortages.
Moreover, the island is running short on food and medicine, and has become dependent on aid shipments from Mexico and .
Q&A
What are the reasons behind the US sanctions on Cuba's President Diaz-Canel?
The sanctions are part of the US efforts to increase pressure on Cuba's communist regime, which is viewed as a threat to US security.
Who else is affected by the new US sanctions on Cuba besides President Diaz-Canel?
The sanctions also target Diaz-Canel's wife, stepson, and family members of former president Raul Castro.
What impact have US sanctions had on Cuba's economy and society?
The sanctions, along with an energy blockade, have led to critical blackouts and food shortages in Cuba.
