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Cuba Accuses Trump Administration of 'Criminal and Genocidal Intent' After New Sanctions on Tourism, Energy Sectors

2026-07-14 10:07
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Cuba Accuses Trump Administration of 'Criminal and Genocidal Intent' After New Sanctions on Tourism, Energy Sectors

The Cuban Foreign Minister added that the United States was intensifying "the war against the people of Cuba, their living conditions and their sources of livelihood"

CUBA-US-DIPLOMACY Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla speaks during a press conference in Havana on June 30, 2026. Rodriguez said that months of negotiations with the United States, which is exerting maximum pressure on the island in an attempt to bring about political change, have shown no progress. Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP via Getty Images

Cuba has accused the Trump administration of pursuing a "criminal and genocidal" policy after Washington sanctioned 10 state entities spanning tourism, energy, foreign trade, shipping, financial services and domestic security.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said Monday that the United States was intensifying "the war against the people of Cuba, their living conditions and their sources of livelihood." He described the measures as a "clear manifestation of the criminal and genocidal intent" to punish the island's population.

The sanctions, published by The State Department, include Cuba's Ministry of Tourism, a major source of foreign currency, as well as fuel-trading companies ENETEC S.A. and COREYDAN S.A., foreign trade group GECOMEX, financial services company CAUDAL and maritime operator GEMAR.

Washington also designated the Territorial Troops Militia, the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution and the Rapid Response Brigades, which the State Department says support surveillance and the repression of political dissent.

Fidel Castro poster in Havana Fidel Castro poster in Havana AFP / YAMIL LAGE

Any property held by the designated entities under U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen, while American individuals and companies will generally be barred from conducting transactions with them. Foreign banks, insurers and shipping companies could also reconsider dealings with the entities to avoid jeopardizing access to the U.S. financial system.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would continue using available measures to address what Washington considers national security threats and push for economic and political reforms in Cuba.

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The latest action follows several rounds of sanctions imposed this year. In June, Washington targeted President Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife and stepson, relatives of former leader Raúl Castro and institutions connected to the armed forces, mining and government-linked organizations. Rodríguez called those measures "despicable," while Díaz-Canel described them as Trump's "latest imperial offensive."

The sanctions come amid worsening relations between Havana and Washington. In a July 1 interview, Rodríguez rejected U.S. claims that Cuba poses a national security threat as "ridiculous" but warned that any military action against the island would produce "a bloodbath."

He nevertheless said Cuba remained open to dialogue and cooperation on terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and human trafficking, although diplomatic contacts with Washington had produced no progress.

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Tags: Cuba, Cuban, Trump administration, State Department, Marco Rubio, Miguel Díaz-Canel