US Announces New Sanctions on Cuban Regime

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on May 18 new sanctions against several Cuban government agencies and senior officials to address “repression in Cuba and threats to U.S. national security.” “I designated 11 Cuban regime elites and three government organizations, including government officials and military figures associated with Cuba’s security apparatus, many of whom are responsible for or have been involved in repressing the Cuban people,” Rubio said in a statement. Among the government agencies sanctioned are the Ministry of Interior, Cuba’s main internal security agency responsible for police, internal security forces, intelligence agencies, and prisons; the National Revolutionary Police, Cuba’s police force accused of suppressing protests and operating mobile prisons; and the Directorate of Intelligence of Cuba, the country’s main intelligence agency....