Marco Rubio sanctions Cuba's military regime, GAESA and Moa Nickel SA
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · May 7
Marco Rubio sanctions Cuba's military regime, GAESA and Moa Nickel SA
11 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · May 7
Hours after Vatican talks with Pope Leo XIV, Rubio also named GAESA leader Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera and said more US sanctions could follow within days or weeks.
The measures use authority from President Donald Trump's May 1 executive order targeting people and entities supporting Cuba's government, security apparatus, corruption and alleged human rights abuses.
They deepen Washington's pressure campaign on Havana, already under a US trade embargo and state terrorism designation, as a near-total oil blockade worsens Cuba's energy and humanitarian crisis.
By targeting the military's economic empire, could sanctions fracture the very institution needed for a stable transition in Cuba?
As sanctions are linked to rising infant mortality, can this pressure campaign avoid a full-blown humanitarian crisis in Cuba?
As Western investors exit Cuba, will geopolitical rivals like China and Russia fill the economic void left behind?
U.S. Targets GAESA and Moa Nickel in May 2026 Sanctions, Triggering Severe Energy Collapse and Economic Isolation in Cuba
Overview
In May 2026, the U.S. intensified its sanctions against Cuba by targeting GAESA, the military conglomerate controlling much of the Cuban economy, its CEO Ania Lastres Morera, and the key mining company Moa Nickel. These measures froze billions in overseas assets and forced foreign partners like Canada’s Sherritt International to halt operations, worsening Cuba’s energy crisis and economic hardships. The sanctions, combined with a strict oil embargo following the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s Maduro, have led to severe fuel shortages, blackouts, and food insecurity, pushing Cuba toward a deepening humanitarian crisis. Despite international condemnations, Cuba faces isolation, increased repression, and uncertain prospects amid escalating U.S. pressure and regional instability.