United States imposes new sanctions on Cuban entities and officials

On Monday, the U.S. State Department announced a new wave of sanctions targeting private and state-owned entities in Cuba. The measures focus on sectors deemed pillars of the Cuban government, including the Ministry of Tourism, various fuel import-export companies, and several paramilitary organizations associated with the Ministry of Defense. Many of these entities are linked to GAESA, the Cuban military's business conglomerate that controls key strategic areas of the island's economy. The sanctions involve the freezing of any assets held within U.S. jurisdiction and a prohibition on all commercial transactions between the designated entities and U.S. persons or businesses. These actions pose new risks for international hotel chains, such as Spain’s Melia and Iberostar, which have previously adjusted their operations to navigate U.S. regulations. While the U.S. describes these groups as tools of state repression, the Cuban government remains under a long-standing U.S. embargo initiated in 1962. Furthermore, the island has recently suffered from significant energy infrastructure failures, including two major blackouts last week.