Rubio Sanctions Cuba’s Tourism and Fuel — Again

The Trump administration sanctioned 10 more Cuban entities Monday, including Cuba’s Tourism Ministry as well as state-owned companies involved in foreign trade and those that import fuel for Cuba’s private sector.

The move expands the list of Cuban entities targeted by Trump’s May 1 executive order, which imposes “secondary sanctions” on non-U.S. companies doing business with these Cuban entities. 

Cuba's tourism was already caught in the crosshairs when military-run conglomerate GAESA, with major tourism investments, was sanctioned. By adding the Tourism Ministry, Trump seems to be trying to blacklist the rest of Cuba's state-run tourism sector, a key source of revenue.

The new sanctions also further tighten Washington’s squeeze on Cuba’s fuel supply, as state-run fuel importers and distributors were added to the sanctioned list. The ever-tightening oil blockade has had devastating consequences. Yesterday, Cuba suffered its third blackout in eight days.

Meanwhile, foreign companies are fleeing Cuba both because the country is grinding to a halt without fuel and for fear of being sanctioned by the Trump administration. Several foreign hotel companies have already withdrawn their operations from Cuba this year. 

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the sanctions as part of a "genocidal" campaign against the island. As in May, the administration justified the measures by calling Cuba a "national security threat" without presenting any credible evidence to back up the claim.