Marco Rubio imposes new sanctions on Cuba’s shipping network, targeting ten entities.

Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday announced a new round of U.S. sanctions aimed at Cuba’s “illicit shipping network,” adding ten individuals and entities linked to the island’s government, military and oil sector to the blacklist. The move comes as part of a broader effort to choke off resources that Washington says fuel the regime’s enrichment while ordinary Cubans face chronic shortages of fuel, food and medicine. The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by the listed parties and bar American companies from doing business with them.

The latest action builds on a series of measures taken since the 2021 protests that sparked a U.S. push to tighten pressure on Havana. In 2023, the State Department unveiled the “Illicit Shipping Network” (ISN) sanctions, targeting firms that moved oil and other goods to the Cuban military. Rubio’s bill expands that list, citing new intelligence that the network has broadened its reach into technology and construction supplies. The administration says the sanctions are a response to the Cuban government’s continued hoarding of energy and shipping assets for its own benefit, leaving the population to endure worsening scarcity.

The State Department named a Cuban state‑run fuel trader, a shipping company based in the Bahamas, a senior naval officer and several front companies as part of the new list. Treasury officials warned that any U.S. person who knowingly engages with the sanctioned parties could face civil penalties of up to $250,000 per violation. Cuban officials condemned the move as “economic warfare” and vowed to find alternative routes. Cuban‑American exile groups praised the sanctions, arguing they will pressure the regime to release political prisoners and improve human‑rights conditions.

The Treasury will now implement the measures and monitor compliance, while Congress is expected to debate further restrictions on Cuba’s economy. Advocates say the sanctions could force the regime to negotiate on reforms, but critics warn they may deepen hardship for ordinary citizens. The next few weeks will show whether the pressure leads to diplomatic talks or prompts Havana to seek new allies to circumvent the U.S. financial chokehold.