On 6 August, the United States imposed sanctions on five legal entities and eight individuals linked to the procurement of arms abroad for the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba and the country’s intelligence services.
The sanctions were announced by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
According to him, “the Cuban communist regime is a state sponsor of terrorism” which undermines the security of the United States and cooperates closely with its adversaries, such as China, Russia and Iran.
Rubio emphasised that the sanctions were imposed in accordance with US President Donald Trump’s executive order authorising the tightening of sanctions against Cuba.
The sanctions list includes, in particular, the ‘Yuri Gagarin Military-Industrial Enterprise’, which repairs military helicopters and aircraft, including those of Russian origin.
Four further organisations involved in the supply of weapons, including from Russia, have been added to the list.
Among the individuals subject to sanctions are the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Álvaro López Miera; the Chief of the General Staff, Roberto Legra Sotolongo; Monica Milian Gomez, Cuba’s military attaché in Russia, as well as the military attaché in China, officials from the Ministry of the Armed Forces and heads of enterprises.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, relations between Washington and Havana have deteriorated sharply. In early 2026, Washington imposed an oil embargo on Cuba. As a result, the country has faced its most severe economic crisis in decades. Washington has also brought criminal charges against the country’s former leader, Raúl Castro, and has stated that it is seeking the removal from power of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.