US diplomat Rubio targets Cuban military officials, companies in sanctions

What the report says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on Thursday targeting five Cuban companies and eight individuals, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The measures focus on people and entities the U.S. says help Cuba obtain, repair and maintain military equipment, including hardware linked to Russia and China. The sanctioned parties include firms the State Department says are tied to imports, weapons production and aircraft maintenance, as well as senior Cuban military figures.

Among those named are Cuba’s defence minister, Alvaro Lopez Miera, and the chief of the general staff, Roberto Legra Sotolongo. The companies listed include Tecnoimport, Union de Industria Militar and EMI Yuri Gagarin. The sanctions freeze any assets the targets may hold in the United States and prohibit Americans from doing business with them; the announcement also warns that foreign banks and companies could face penalties if they continue dealings that touch the U.S. financial system.

Rubio used the move to repeat the Trump administration’s hard line on Havana, describing Cuba as a security threat and linking the sanctions to broader pressure on the island. The article says the administration has stepped up restrictions since Trump returned to office in 2025, reinstated Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and authorized wider penalties in May. The measures come amid a long-running dispute between Washington and Havana and renewed concern in Cuba over defence readiness and external alliances.