Rubio says new US penalties on Cuba are "the strongest sanctions in history"

After Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new U.S. penalties on 11 Cuban targets—eight organizations and three people linked to the military and nickel industry—Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel responded on X, while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez described the measures as a broad penalty on the Cuban people and an economic squeeze. The actions, under Executive Order 14404 signed by President Trump on May 1, 2026, let Washington freeze property, bar entry, and punish overseas lenders that work with named Cuban groups. Rubio characterized the penalties as severe and said they would continue unless Havana shifted course. The sanctions target revenue sources for Cuba’s government as its finances and energy supply deteriorate, amid more than 250 U.S. sanctions this year. Rodríguez said no talks with Washington were underway.