By Evaristo Lara
With the aim of increasing the pressure of the Trump administration towards the Cuban government, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, announced through a statement a new package of sanctions this time directed at two companies and a Cuban citizen.
According to the official, Grupo de Gestión Empresarial SA (GAESA), a company controlled by the Cuban army, has been getting rich while the majority of the people who live on the island remain immersed in poverty.
“While the Cuban people suffer from hunger, disease and a chronic lack of investment in critical infrastructure such as its electrical grid, much of the income from GAESA’s activities is diverted to hidden bank accounts abroad,” he indicated.
The Department of State (DOS) claims to have data that allegedly demonstrates how This organization controls about 40% of the Cuban economy and probably has up to $20 billion in illicit assets.
Hence, it was also determined to sanction Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, a brigade commander who, since July 2022, took the reins of the largest business conglomerate in Cuba. after the death of Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, former son-in-law of Raúl Castro and architect of the emporium for 26 years.
The controversial thing about the matter is that Adys Lastres Morera, Ania’s sister, has been living in Florida since January 2023, where she runs some real estate companies; while Ani Rodríguez Lastres, her daughter, lives in Panama working for the international port sector.
Regarding the latter, some investigations indicate that in addition to owning several apartments in Panama, she owns 75% of the shares of Allicom Restricted, a company registered in the United Kingdom.
The DOS also sanctioned the company Moa Nickel SA (MNSA), which operates in Cuba’s metallurgical and mining sector.
The argument is that it exploits the island’s natural resources to benefit the regime.
From the perspective of the Cuban government, Washington’s objective is to sour the atmosphere on the island to provoke the removal of President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
And if this does not happen through this means, a hypothetical military intervention in the medium term cannot be ruled out.
Keep reading:
• Cuba accuses the US of “international crimes” due to new sanctions and oil blockade
• Cuba accuses the US of creating “pretexts” after Marco Rubio pointed out that the island allows adversaries to operate
• Senate blocks Democratic attempt to limit Trump’s military actions in Cuba
• Trump assures that the United States will take Cuba after the conflict in Iran
