US issues new Cuba sanctions as UN experts warn of ‘energy starvation’

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Cuba, targeting the military-controlled conglomerate GAESA and its executive president. These measures come as UN experts warned of "energy starvation" due to an ongoing US fuel blockade against the island. The sanctions, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aim to pressure Cuba's government into implementing political and economic reforms. Sherritt International, a partner in a joint venture with GAESA, has suspended its direct participation in Cuba following the sanctions. Cuba's government has previously condemned similar US actions as "collective punishment."

The Trump administration has sanctioned Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture between Canadian miner Sherritt International and Cuba's state-owned General Nickel Company. This action, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, targets Cuba's military-controlled economy and is part of a broader pressure campaign against Havana. In response, Sherritt International has suspended its direct participation in the joint venture and begun repatriating its expatriate employees from Cuba. The sanctions have potential implications for China-linked battery supply chains, as nickel is a critical mineral for battery production. This move signifies an expansion of US pressure into the critical minerals sector.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has denounced new US sanctions, signed by President Donald Trump, as "illegal and abusive." The executive order targets Cuban officials in key economic sectors and those accused of human rights abuses or corruption. This action coincides with protests in Havana against a US oil blockade that has led to fuel shortages and blackouts. Trump has intensified US foreign policy towards Cuba, expressing a desire to change its communist leadership and suggesting an imminent US takeover. Rodriguez stated on X that these "unilateral coercive measures" violate the UN Charter and constitute collective punishment against the Cuban people, asserting that the nation will not yield.

Cuba's government has condemned new U.S. sanctions imposed by President Trump, calling them "collective punishment" against the Cuban people. The sanctions, announced on Friday, target individuals involved in broad sectors of the Cuban economy, including energy, defense, and finance, as well as Cuban officials accused of human rights abuses or corruption. This move marks a significant escalation of U.S. economic pressure on Cuba, impacting non-American companies with operations there. The sanctions come amid worsening economic conditions in Cuba, including fuel shortages and a decline in tourism, and follow Trump's previous suggestions of potential military action against the island.