HAVANA: The United States announced new sanctions on Cuba’s president and some of his immediate family on Thursday, alongside members of the Castro family, in Washington’s latest ramping up of pressure on its communist-led neighbour.

Among those targeted were the son and a grandson of former president Raul Castro, who no longer holds an official position but remains a key powerbroker on the island.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel, his wife and stepson were also hit by the latest flurry of sanctions, as was the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and several other entities.

While Cuba has been under a US trade embargo since 1962, President Donald Trump has drastically ramped up pressure in recent months, cutting off its fuel supplies and threatening to take over the island.

Washington claims that Cuba’s communist regime threatens the security of Americans.

Trump has repeatedly stated it could be next to fall, after the January overthrow of Venezuela’s socialist leader Nicolas Maduro.

“As soon as the Iran war is over, on our way back we’ll just make a little brief stopover,” Trump said, alluding to Cuba.

He denied that the new sanctions, which follow a US murder indictment against Raul Castro and sanctions on a military conglomerate that controls much of Cuba’s economy, were aimed at accelerating the island’s collapse.

Washington had already taken aim at Diaz-Canel last year, banning him and his family from entering the United States.

Writing on X, Diaz-Canel accused Trump of trying to “strengthen the blockade and scenario of conflict between Cuba and the United States”, vowing that Cubans would “resist the imperialist onslaught”.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the “vile” sanctions would be met with “greater unity and determination from our people”.

Trump told reporters at the White House he just wanted Cuba to be “a nicely run country that can feed its people.

“But the country is starving, and it’s got no energy, it’s got no oil, it’s got no money, it’s got nothing.”

He noted however that Cuba has “a beautiful piece of land”, musing: “You could have beautiful resorts.”

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2026