The U.S. government has ramped up its pressure on Cuba by imposing fresh financial restrictions, effectively blocking a major remittance channel used by Cuban-Americans to send money to the island. The move, announced on Friday, is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to curtail the Cuban government’s access to hard currency.
The latest measure targets Orbit, SA, a financial entity accused of funneling funds to Cuba’s military. The U.S. Department of State stated that the action is meant to prevent resources from bolstering what it describes as an authoritarian regime.
“These funds don’t go to the Cuban people. They go to the very institutions that maintain state control and repression,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a longtime critic of Cuba’s leadership.
For many Cuban families, remittances are a vital source of income, particularly as the island grapples with severe economic challenges. Restrictions on these financial flows are expected to deepen the strain on households that rely on assistance from relatives abroad.
This latest action follows a pattern of increased sanctions under Trump, who has reversed many of the policies implemented by his predecessors to ease relations with Cuba. The move is also likely to further complicate U.S.-Cuba relations, which have been tense since the reimplementation of strict trade and travel bans.
With no clear path to diplomatic engagement in sight, the Cuban government is expected to seek alternative financial solutions to offset the impact of U.S. sanctions, ensuring that economic battles between the two nations will continue.
