US expands Cuba sanctions targeting Castro-linked network

On June 24, 2026, the U.S. government announced a broadened sanctions regime against Cuba, adding five entities tied to key sectors of the island’s economy and a member of the Castro family. The measures target three companies linked to the Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), a large military‑run conglomerate, as well as two financial institutions (RAFIN S.A. and BFI) and a logistics firm (Almasenes Universals S.A.) that support Cuba’s maritime and trade operations.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions aim at entities that “finance, promote or benefit from harmful activities of the Cuban regime.” The sanctions also name Ana Lilia Rueda Cardero, a relative of former intelligence chief and former leader Alejandro Castro Espín, for her connections to the Castro family. Foreign companies dealing with the listed entities or operating in Cuba’s financial, mining, security, defense or energy sectors could face secondary sanctions.