Through its State Department, Donald Trump’s administration decided to implement this new round of sanctions against Cuba aimed at continuing to deprive the Caribbean country of potential sources of financing amid an unprecedented intensification of the economic, commercial and financial blockade that affects the Cuban people for more than six decades.
The announced package of sanctions also reflects the extraterritoriality of the siege imposed by Washington by increasing restrictions on foreign companies and entities that have commercial or financial ties with the agencies wich are in the unilateral US list.
Among the entities sanctioned are also ENETEC, S.A., Coreydan S.A. and the Business Group of Foreign Trade (GECOMEX), linked to import, export and marketing of fuels in some cases and in others to international purchase and sale of goods and services.
With the incorporation of the Ministry of Tourism, the US government targeted one of the strategic sectors of the Cuban economy.
The sanctions fall under Executive Order 14404, signed by Trump on May 1, which expands the range of restrictions and pressures against the island in pursuit of the explicit goal of regime change in Cuba.
The US threatens to continue using economic and diplomatic tools in its policy of maximum pressure against Cuba, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear.
Last week, however, Michael Waltz, President Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN), said that the blockade is a “myth,” and during his speech loaded with misrepresentation and lies, he claimed that the blockade does not exist.
With such an approach, the US ambassador himself came into contradiction with what was expressed by the government he represents, which issued a secret memorandum through the State Department on April 6, 1960 with the foundations of this genocidal policy against the island.
With 136 votes in favour, nine against – including the US and Israel – and 30 abstentions, the Assembly agreed to hold on July 7 the debate proposed by Cuba on the need to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by successive US governments on the island.
The UN General Assembly has condemned the embargo against Cuba on 31 previous occasions, with a majority of support from the international community.
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