US Sanctions Cuban Military Officials and Firms Over China, Russia Arms Ties

The US Treasury and State Department designated five Cuban entities and eight individuals for helping the Cuban armed forces procure weapons and maintain relationships with foreign militaries, under an executive order President Trump signed in May 2026. Those sanctioned include Álvaro López Miera, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR); Chief of the General Staff Roberto Legrá Sotolongo; Cuba's military attaché in China, Valdo Pérez Cortés; and Cuba's military representative in Russia, Mónica Milián Gómez. Sanctioned entities include state trading firms Tecnotex and Technoimport, the Yuri Gagarin Military-Industrial Enterprise, trading group Duna S.A., and the Union of Military Industry, along with GAESA-linked subsidiaries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Cuban government uses "its military and intelligence services to spy on the U.S." and characterized Cuba as a staging ground for Russia, China, and Iran. The designations build on earlier 2026 sanctions against GAESA and MINFAR itself.