The United States has announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting Cuba's most powerful economic entity, escalating a sustained pressure campaign against the Caribbean island's government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled the measures on Thursday, designating Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) — a conglomerate controlled by the Cuban Armed Forces that accounts for roughly 40% of the island's economy — along with its executive president, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, and Moa Nickel S.A., a joint mining venture between Cuba's state and Toronto-based Sherritt International. The new designations come under Executive Order 14404, signed by President Donald Trump on 1 May, and add to more than 240 sanctions imposed since January. Foreign companies and financial institutions have until 5 June to cease dealings with GAESA or face secondary sanctions under US law. Sherritt announced it had suspended direct participation in its Cuban joint venture activities following the move.

The State Department described GAESA as