US imposes new sanctions against Cuba over cooperation with Russia and China

The United States has imposed new sanctions against Cuba, including eight officials, five defense enterprises and trading companies on a restrictive list. The reason given was Havana’s military cooperation with Russia and China.

This is reported by Bloomberg.

According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury (OFAC), representatives of the diplomatic corps and senior military leadership of Cuba were subject to sanctions.

Among them are Cuba’s military attaché in China, Waldo Perez Cortes, and Cuba’s military attaché in Russia, Monica Milian Gomez.

As Bloomberg notes, human rights organizations have accused Milian Gomez of involvement in recruiting Cuban citizens to participate in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia. At the same time, the Cuban authorities deny their involvement in sending mercenaries.

The sanctions list also includes General Oscar Enrique Biosca Gallego, the general director of the defense enterprise Union de Industria Militar (UIM), Roberto Jesús Viciana Musset, and the deputy chief of the Cuban General Staff, Roberto Legra Sotolongo.

In addition, the US imposed sanctions on five state-owned enterprises operating in Cuba’s military-industrial complex: Tecnotex, Technoimport, Yuri Gagarin Military Industrial Enterprise, Duna SA, and Union de Industria Militar (UIM).

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the new restrictions are intended to protect US national security and hinder Cuba’s military cooperation with foreign partners, including Russia and China.