Chicago – June 04, 2026
The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, marking the Trump administration’s latest escalation to pressure the island’s leadership.
Announced Thursday via a U.S. Treasury Department filing, the sanctions target Díaz-Canel, his wife Lis Cuesta Peraza, his stepson Miguel Anido Cuesta, and Alejandro Castro Espín—son of former president Raúl Castro. The measures freeze all assets and bank accounts within U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit transactions with American entities.
The action follows President Donald Trump’s recent executive order expanding sanctions against Cuba, part of a broader campaign that includes an energy blockade causing severe fuel shortages and rolling blackouts on the island. Additional sanctioned entities include Cuba’s defense ministry, the Institute for Friendship with the Peoples, Amistur Cuba tourism division, and the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution.
Havana swiftly condemned the move, with Díaz-Canel previously warning that U.S. aggression could trigger “incalculable consequences” for regional stability. The sanctions represent one of the most direct American actions against a sitting Cuban head of state, intensifying pressure amid Cuba’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
