US Adds to Sanctions Against Cubans

The Trump administration has increased its pressure on Cuba's communist leadership. The US Treasury on Thursday rolled out sanctions against President Miguel Díaz-Canel, 66, along with four other people and five entities, according to its online sanctions list. The targets include the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Reuters reports. Cuba's minister of foreign affairs condemned the new sanctions in a social media post. "Every threat against Cuba's independence and sovereignty will be met with even greater unity and determination from our people," Bruno Rodríguez wrote, per the AP.

The US last month sanctioned 11 Cuban officials, among them the communications minister, military figures, and the main intelligence agency. Rodríguez called the new sanctions part of "the US interventionist plan to portray Cuba as a threat to US national security." President Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba since ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January. Asked Thursday if his sanctions are meant to accelerate Cuba's collapse, Trump said it's already "sort of collapsed," per the AP. "We're going to handle that as soon as we've finished" the battle with Iran, he added. "I like to do one thing at a time."