U.S. Sanctions Target Cuban President, Family Members and Castro Relatives

The United States announced new economic sanctions Thursday targeting Cuba’s president, members of his immediate family, and relatives of former president Raúl Castro. President Miguel Diaz-Canel, his wife, and his stepson were designated by the Treasury Department, along with the son and a grandson of Raúl Castro.

The ministry of the revolutionary armed forces of Cuba, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, Amistur Cuba, and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution were also sanctioned.

Castro no longer holds an official position but remains a key figure on decisions about the island’s future, according to reporting from The Guardian and France 24. The Treasury actions follow a 2025 decision that restricted visas for the Cuban president and other high-ranking officials. The United States has maintained an embargo on Cuba for decades.

“Anyone providing services to these sanctioned actors is at risk of sanctions themselves. Foreign banks and other companies that provide services to these entities should freeze those activities.”

The Treasury’s latest actions also follow a move in 2025 when Washington restricted visas for the Cuban president and other high-ranking government officials.