US slaps Sanctions on Cuban Leader 4 Years After Groundbreaking Protests

Cuban President Subject to U.S. Sanctions Amid Human Rights Violations

U.S. government has imposed its first sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel for his role in the regime’s severe mistreatment of the Cuban populace.

Background: Rise in Pressure on Havana by Trump Administration

• President Trump’s administration has escalated pressure on Cuba through a series of measures.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced restrictions on visas for Díaz‑Canel and senior officials on the anniversary of historic anti‑government protests.
• Protests in July 2021 saw thousands occupy streets to demand basic goods and confront economic hardship.
• Hundreds arrested, one death and dozens injured marked the largest demonstrations since Fidel Castro’s 1959 communist revolution.

Specific Targets Sanctioned

State Department has sanctioned key regime leaders for gross violations of human rights, including:

• Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera
• Interior Minister Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas
• Cuban judicial and prison officials linked to unjust detention and torture of July 2021 protestors.

Rubio highlighted the paradox: “While Cuban people suffer shortages of food, water, medicine and electricity, the regime lavishes money on its insiders.”

Cuban Response and International Diplomacy

• Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez condemned U.S. measures on X, asserting that the U.S. cannot alter the will of Cuba’s people or leaders.
• In May, Cuban foreign ministry summoned the U.S. envoy to Havana to protest “interference” in internal affairs.
• The United States maintains a six‑decade‑old trade blockade against Cuba.

Political Prisoners and Human Rights Concerns

Rubio demanded “proof of life” for dissident leader José Daniel Ferrer and called for the release of all political prisoners. He added that 700 people remain imprisoned for participation in July 2021 protests, with human rights groups estimating between 360 and 420. Some protesters have been freed after serving sentences, while others, including Ferrer, were released in a Vatican‑mediated agreement in January following Biden’s removal of Cuba from the terrorism sponsor blacklist.

In April, Ferrer’s parole was revoked as the U.S. returned Cuba to the blacklist after Trump’s re‑entry into power, prompting Washington’s criticism.

Additional Restrictions and Economic Measures

• State Department added “Torre K,” a 42‑story hotel in Havana’s central area, to its list of entities barred from American engagement, citing its intent to prevent U.S. dollars from funding regime repression.
• The hotel’s inauguration sparked criticism of the government’s substantial investment in new hotels amid a downturn in tourism.