Shortly after the centenary celebrations of the leader of the Cuban revolution Fidel Castro, the United States announced this Thursday (20) the imposition of new sanctions against Cuba, affecting nine organizations and three individuals, who are accused by President Donald Trump’s government of activities against the interests of the North American country.
The main target is the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (Icap), but the sanctions also affect the Cuban Ministry of Construction and 7 other organizations. Among the people sanctioned are Fernando Gonzalez Llort, president of ICAP and member of the Cuban Five group, Cuban intelligence officers arrested by the US in 1998; Noemi Ramona Rabaza Fernandez, first vice-president of ICAP; and Leima Martinez Freire, director of ICAP for North America.
The American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated that ICAP maintains a broad network of influence within the United States, which would aim to “identify, recruit and radicalize subversives, operating under the pretext of educational or cultural exchange”.
According to him, Cuba used the events of Fidel’s centenary, celebrated on August 13, to activate this network, in order to take supporters to Havana to interact with government authorities.
“Today’s designations make clear that the Trump administration will not tolerate the Cuban regime’s efforts to finance its repression or continue its decades-long campaign of anti-American subversive activities,” Rubio said.
Blocking history
Since the end of January, the United States government has started to severely hamper imports of oil and fuel that Cuba needs to maintain the normal functioning of the country.
Through an executive order, President Donald Trump threatens to impose sanctions on any country or company that “sells or supplies” crude oil to the island.
The energy suffocation is felt in every corner of Cuba. There are regions where families spend entire days without electricity and, when the power finally comes back on, it only lasts two or three hours before being interrupted again.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
