The administration of US President Donald Trump has imposed new sanctions on Cuba's military-linked conglomerate GAESA and senior figures tied to the communist government, stepping up pressure on Havana.
The US State Department on Thursday said the measures were intended "to protect U.S. national security and deprive Cuba's communist regime and military of access to illicit assets."
GAESA, or Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., is widely regarded as the economic arm of Cuba's military and is estimated by experts to control at least 40% of the island's economy, including tourism, retail, financial services, port logistics and imports.
The State Department described GAESA as "the heart of Cuba's kleptocratic communist system," accusing the group of diverting profits abroad while ordinary Cubans face poverty, power outages and deteriorating infrastructure.
Washington also sanctioned GAESA president Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera and Moa Nickel S.A., a joint venture between the Cuban state and a Canadian mining company. The United States accused the nickel producer of exploiting Cuba's natural resources for the benefit of the ruling elite.
The new measures are part of a broader tightening of Cuba policy by the US administration. Last week, Trump signed an executive order paving the way for sweeping sanctions against supporters of the Cuban government.
The sanctions freeze any US-based assets of those targeted and bar US citizens from doing business with them. Foreign banks and companies could also face penalties if they continue dealings with sanctioned entities.
GAESA was built up in the 1990s under now-Cuban President Raúl Castro, who at the time was the country's defence minister. The conglomerate includes more than 50 companies and, through the International Financial Bank (BFI), also controls Cuba's foreign exchange market.
