According to the U.S. Department of State and Reuters, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio updated the “Specially Designated Nationals List” (SDN List) on the State Department website on Thursday, May 7 announcing severe sanctions against multiple entities and individuals linked to the Cuban government, military, and intelligence system. This move marks a further tightening of economic ties with the Havana regime by the Trump administration in 2026, aimed at disrupting its illegal financing channels and responding to human rights concerns.
Below are the detailed provisions and specific targets of the sanctions:
1. Individual sanctions targeting core intelligence and security officials
The Treasury Department listed four senior officials from Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR).
Details of sanctioned individuals:
The list includes senior commanders responsible for digital surveillance and domestic security. The U.S. accuses these individuals of directly participating in the suppression of peaceful protests in recent months and restricting citizens’ internet access rights.
Specific restrictions:
All property and interests of these officials within U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and they must be reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
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2. Crackdown on entities linked to the military conglomerate GAESA
The U.S. continues to target GAESA, the military-controlled commercial conglomerate in Cuba.
Details of sanctioned entities:
Three additional shell companies located in Europe and the Caribbean were added. U.S. investigations indicate that these companies, while appearing to engage in import-export trade, are actually covert channels used by the Cuban military to funnel foreign currency back to Havana.
Specific restrictions:
U.S. financial institutions are prohibited from processing any wire transfers involving these entities. The goal is to cut off Cuba’s access to hard currencies such as euros and U.S. dollars.
3. Blocking the ‘oil-for-intelligence’ energy shipping network
To weaken energy ties between Cuba and Venezuela, the Treasury Department sanctioned two shipping companies involved in illegal oil transport.
Details of sanctioned entities:
One Cyprus-based shipping company and one Liberia-flagged tanker management entity were added to the list. The U.S. accuses them of using ship-to-ship (STS) transfer techniques to secretly deliver Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba.
Specific restrictions:
These vessels are banned from entering U.S. ports, and any fuel supply, insurance, or maintenance services related to them will be considered a violation of U.S. law.
4. Strict ‘secondary sanctions’ financial blockade rules
The announcement details significant legal consequences with wide-reaching impact:
Immediate asset freeze:
All assets of sanctioned parties within the United States or controlled by U.S. persons (including foreign branches of U.S. banks) are frozen. Even indirect ownership of 50 percent or more is treated as frozen.
Secondary sanctions warning:
The Treasury Department emphasized that any non-U.S. bank that knowingly continues to provide significant transaction services to these entities risks losing access to U.S. correspondent accounts, effectively being cut off from the U.S. dollar clearing system.
Ban on all services:
Not only financial transactions, but also any form of “donation, provision of funds, goods, or services” to or from listed entities is prohibited.
According to a May 7 press statement, Rubio said:
“These sanctions are part of the Trump Administration’s comprehensive campaign to address the pressing national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and hold accountable the regime and those who provide it material or financial support. Just 90 miles from the American homeland, the Cuban regime has brought the island to ruin and auctioned off the island as a platform for foreign intelligence, military and terror operations. Additional designations can be expected in the following days and weeks.”
Analysts note that with the 2026 U.S. midterm elections approaching, this move is likely intended to consolidate support from Cuban-American voters in key states such as Florida. It also reflects a strategic containment effort against members of what Washington views as an “anti-U.S. axis,” amid global energy volatility triggered by the current Strait of Hormuz crisis.
At present, the European Union and some Latin American countries have expressed concern over the potential secondary effects of these sanctions.
