U.S. Sanctions Cuba's Military Backers, Blocks Five Ships

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States sanctioned eight entities and two individuals and blocked five vessels tied to the Cuban regime's military and revenue networks on November 5, the State Department announced.

Read the State Department fact sheet: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/11/further-sanctions-on-the-cuban-regimes-foreign-military-support-and-illicit-revenue-networks-fact-sheet/

Eight Entities, Two Individuals, Five Vessels

The Department of State designated eight entities and two individuals, and identified five vessels as blocked property, the fact sheet stated. The action was taken under Executive Order 14404, which authorizes sanctions on foreign persons tied to repression in Cuba and to threats to United States national security and foreign policy, the fact sheet stated.

The five vessels identified as blocked property are the ESPERANZA (IMO: 9289166), GLORIA C (IMO: 9540273), MARIA CRISTINA (IMO: 9502453), EMILIA (IMO: 9242209), and LOURDES (IMO: 9259692), the fact sheet stated.

The action targets the Cuban regime's oil shipping networks, Cuban elites, state-owned import and technical-support entities, and China-based suppliers of the regime's military forces, the fact sheet stated.

The fact sheet described the designations as part of the administration's broader push to end the Cuban regime's malign activities, both in Cuba and across the hemisphere, the fact sheet stated.

The China Connection, The Military Equipment, The 2026 Shipments

Two China-based corporations were designated for supplying the Cuban regime's military forces, the fact sheet stated. Both were designated under Section 2(a)(i)(D) of Executive Order 14404 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the Government of Cuba, the fact sheet stated.

China National Electronic Import and Export Company (CEIEC), a China-based state-owned enterprise that exports defense electronics, security systems, and construction engineering services, contracted with the Cuban arms procurement entity Sociedad Mercantil Duna S.A. to export components intended for military equipment used by the Cuban Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) in 2026, the fact sheet stated.

Beijing H&C Technologies Co., Ltd., a China-based subsidiary of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) International Co., Ltd. that sells surveillance and security equipment, worked with Sociedad Mercantil Duna S.A. to export military equipment to Cuba in 2026, the fact sheet stated.

Sociedad Mercantil Duna S.A. was designated by the Department of State on August 6, 2026, and has been involved in the import of military-related equipment from China and Russia to Cuba, the fact sheet stated.

The OFAC Determination, The Blocked Property, The Sectors

The Director of the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also issued a determination under Executive Order 14404 that authorizes sanctions against any foreign person operating or having operated in the manufacturing, technology, electronics, and marine sectors of the Cuban economy, the fact sheet stated.

The designations were made pursuant to Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, "Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to United States National Security and Foreign Policy," the fact sheet stated.

The action also furthers Executive Order 14380, "Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba," and National Security Presidential Memorandum 5, which directs the executive branch to improve human rights, encourage the rule of law, foster free markets and free enterprise, and promote democracy in Cuba, the fact sheet stated.

Sources

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Spokesman, "Further Sanctions on the Cuban Regime's Foreign Military Support and Illicit Revenue Networks," November 5, 2026: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/11/further-sanctions-on-the-cuban-regimes-foreign-military-support-and-illicit-revenue-networks-fact-sheet/