US Expands Cuba Sanctions Targeting Banking, Mining, Energy

The United States imposed new Cuba sanctions on Thursday, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, targeting Fidel Ernesto Castro Calis, a grandson of Raúl Castro, and five Cuban entities tied to the island’s banking, nickel mining, and energy supply chains. The designations include Banco Exterior de Cuba and companies such as Abapet, along with other firms associated with nickel production and fuel/energy operations. The measures were issued under Executive Order 14404 and are intended to pressure Cuba’s leadership by disrupting state-controlled financial and extractive networks. The actions come as Cuba faces worsening energy conditions, including frequent blackouts and deepening fuel shortages, which officials say have been exacerbated by earlier U.S. actions affecting oil shipments to Cuba. Analysts and experts cited in coverage warned the sanctions could increase hardship for civilians and may push Cuba to seek replacement parts through alternative procurement channels. Bloomberg and Reuters reported the U.S. has been expanding its Cuba blacklist nearly weekly, including additional entities in the fuel sector and other state-run institutions.