The United States has imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Cuba’s military-linked economic network, escalating pressure on the island’s leadership amid worsening energy shortages and renewed diplomatic tensions.

The sanctions announced on Thursday target Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), a conglomerate controlled by Cuba’s military with influence across key sectors of the economy. Also designated were GAESA executive Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera and Moa Nickel S.A., a joint venture involving Toronto-based Sherritt International Corp and Cuba’s state mining company.

United States Department of State said the measures are part of an ongoing pressure campaign aimed at what Washington describes as repression and threats to regional security. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the actions “demonstrate that the Trump Administration will not stand by while Cuba’s communist regime threatens our national security in our hemisphere”.

Sherritt International confirmed it has suspended its participation in Cuban joint venture activities following the sanctions.

UN experts warn of worsening energy crisis

The sanctions were announced shortly after United Nations experts raised concerns over Cuba’s fuel shortages, describing the situation as “energy starvation”.

United Nations special rapporteurs said restrictions on fuel imports were affecting essential services, including hospitals and schools. They defined “energy starvation” as “a condition in which the lack of fuel cripples the functioning of essential services required for a dignified life”.

The experts said ongoing fuel shortages were disrupting healthcare delivery and education, with reports of treatment delays and a backlog of more than 96,000 surgeries, including thousands involving children.

They warned that “energy starvation as a coercive tool is incompatible with international human rights norms”.

Cuba condemns sanctions as economic pressure

Cuba’s government criticized the latest measures as “unilateral coercive measures” and “collective punishment on the Cuban people”. Officials said earlier rounds of sanctions have deepened economic hardship on the island, particularly in energy supply and transport.

The administration of President Donald Trump has also restricted Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and introduced measures targeting foreign entities that supply fuel to the island. Washington has further signaled that additional sanctions could be imposed on countries continuing energy trade with Havana.

Rising diplomatic and economic tensions

The new sanctions come amid continued strain in U.S.–Cuba relations, with Washington maintaining pressure on Cuba’s military-linked economic structures while urging political and economic reforms.

Cuba continues to face prolonged power shortages driven by reduced fuel imports, aging infrastructure, and limited access to external energy supplies. Only limited oil shipments, primarily from Russia, have reached the island in recent months.

The latest developments add to broader tensions as international actors warn of worsening humanitarian conditions linked to the ongoing energy crisis and economic restrictions.