On July 13, 2026, the United States Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism and two state-owned companies, Grupo Empresarial de Transporte Maritimo Portuario (GEMAR) and Grupo Empresarial del Comercio Exterior (GECOMEX), expanding restrictions on Cuban government-linked entities.
The Treasury Department set August 12, 2026, as the deadline for companies and financial institutions to end business relationships with the sanctioned Cuban entities to avoid penalties. These actions follow a May 2026 executive order authorizing the freezing of US-based assets connected to individuals or organizations supporting Cuba’s government or economy.
The sanctions come amid escalating tensions between
Washington and Havana, including a US-imposed oil blockade targeting Cuba’s energy supplies. This blockade, initiated after the US abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January 2026, has disrupted Cuba’s electricity. There have been four nationwide blackouts in Cuba in 2026 so far. The most recent blackout affected over 10 million people and was the second nationwide outage in the week before the July 13 sanctions announcement. Mexico, another key fuel supplier to Cuba, ceased oil shipments following US pressure.
United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz described Cuba’s government as “a national security threat” and accused Russia and China of conducting intelligence
operations near US military bases in Cuba. During the UN General Assembly debate, Waltz blamed Cuba’s leaders for the electricity outages and urged them to “Change your ways and turn the lights back on for your people.” Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, condemned the sanctions as “an act of collective punishment” and “a systematic violation of the human rights of an entire people.”
The sanctions against Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism and the two state-owned companies reflect ongoing political and economic measures the US is employing against Cuba’s government and its associated sectors.
