Sanctions Target Cuban Regime Threats

Today, the Department of State is sanctioning 11 Cuban regime-aligned actors and three entities in furtherance 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.   

For more than 60 years, the Cuban regime has prioritized its Communist ideology and personal wealth over the well-being of its own citizens while allowing for the exploitation of Cuba for foreign intelligence, military, and terror operations. The United States will continue to take action to counter the Cuban regime, those furthering its goals, and those abroad enabling the elites to profit while the Cuban people suffer.

Today, all Department of State targets are being sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, which authorizes sanctions on persons determined to meet specified criteria related to repression in Cuba and threats to U.S. national security.  

The Department of State is designating 11 regime-aligned elites associated with Cuba's security apparatus, as well as three Cuban government bodies.

The following entities are being designated pursuant to Section 2 (a)(i)(F) of E.O. 14404 for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Cuba:

• The MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OF CUBA (MININT), which is an agency of the Government of Cuba responsible for Cuba's internal security, to include controlling Cuba's police, internal security forces, intelligence agencies, and the country's prison system. Today's action expands upon MININT's prior designation pursuant to E.O. 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act;

• The POLICIA NACIONAL REVOLUCIONARIA (PNR), which is a police force under MININT accused of operating mobile prisons and violent suppression of protests. Today's action expands upon the PNR's prior designation pursuant to E.O. 13818; and

• The DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE OF CUBA (DGI), which is the primary intelligence agency of the Government of Cuba under MININT.

The following actors are being designated pursuant to Sec. 2 (a)(i)(E) of E.O. 14404 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of Cuba or an entity whose property or interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14404:

• EDDY MANUEL SIERRA ARIAS (SIERRA), the Chief of the General Directorate of the PNR, which is being concurrently designated pursuant to E.O. 14404. Today's designation of SIERRA builds upon his prior designation pursuant to E.O. 13818;

• OSCAR ALEJANDRO CALLEJAS VALCARCE (CALLEJAS), the Chief of the Political Directorate of the concurrently designated MININT and the former Director of the also concurrently designated PNR. Today's designation of CALLEJAS expands upon his prior designation pursuant to E.O. 13818;

• ROSABEL GAMON VERDE, the Minister of Justice of Cuba;

• JOAQUIN QUINTAS SOLA, the Deputy Minister of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces;

• JUAN ESTEBAN LAZO HERNANDEZ, the President of Cuba's National Assembly for People's Power;

• VICENTE DE LA O LEVY, the Minister of Energy and Mines of Cuba;

• MAYRA AREVICH MARIN, the Minister of Communications of Cuba;

• JOSE MIGUEL GOMEZ DEL VALLIN, the Chief of Staff of Military Counterintelligence;

• RAUL VILLAR KESSELL, the Chief of the Central Army of Cuba;

• ROBERTO TOMAS MORALES OJEDA, a member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba; and

• EUGENIO ARMANDO RABILERO AGUILERA, the Chief of the Eastern Army of Cuba.

As a result of today's sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, "Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy," all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  Additionally, all entities that are owned individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

All transactions and dealings by U.S. persons or persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt.  These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.  Foreign persons that engage in transactions with persons designated pursuant to E.O. 14404 - or that operate in the energy, defense and related materiel, metals and mining, financial services, or security sector of the Cuban economy, as identified in E.O. 14404 - are themselves at risk of sanctions. Non-U.S. persons, including foreign financial institutions, should proceed with caution in any dealings with a party sanctioned under this authority.  Actions to return assets to a sanctioned party or transfer them to another jurisdiction for potential use by the target could expose non-U.S. persons to significant sanctions risk.  All property and interests in property of persons that are blocked pursuant to the CACR continue to be blocked. The CACR prohibits persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction from dealing in property in which Cuba or a Cuban national has an interest, unless authorized or exempt.

The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law.  The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.