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U.S. Bars Cuban Military and Interior Ministers and Their Families from Entry

Saturday, July 12, 2025 by Abigail Marquez

U.S. Bars Cuban Military and Interior Ministers and Their Families from Entry
Minister of MININT and MINFAR - Image © Collage CiberCuba

The United States government announced a new round of sanctions this Friday, targeting Cuba's Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Álvaro López Miera, and Minister of the Interior, Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas. These measures effectively deny both officials and their immediate families entry into the U.S. This move, which was first reported by the Miami Herald based on statements from a senior State Department official, is part of a broader strategy to hold high-ranking Cuban officials accountable for ongoing human rights violations.

These sanctions, which also involve the revocation or denial of visas, are enacted under section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025. This legislation stipulates that foreign officials involved in significant acts of corruption or gross human rights abuses are ineligible for entry into the United States.

Marking the Anniversary of July 11 Protests

The timing of these sanctions coincides with the fourth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, popular uprising, during which thousands of Cubans took to the streets demanding freedom. The state's response was a large-scale, coordinated crackdown, with both ministers playing crucial roles, according to various human rights organizations.

Senator Marco Rubio commented on social media platform X, stating, "Four years after the Cuban regime's brutal crackdown on protesters, the State Department is restricting visas for the regime's top figures, including Díaz-Canel, López Miera, Álvarez Casas, and their cohorts for their roles in the regime's brutality against the Cuban people."

Economic and Political Implications

The State Department has also added the regime-controlled Torre K to the Cuba Restricted List to prevent U.S. dollars from funding the regime's repression. Rubio further emphasized that while the Cuban populace suffers from shortages of food, water, medicine, and electricity, the regime lavishly spends money on its enforcers.

López Miera, already sanctioned by the Biden administration in 2021, is one of the most powerful military figures on the island as the head of the FAR. Álvarez Casas, meanwhile, was previously designated by the Trump administration under the Global Magnitsky Act for his involvement in arbitrary detentions and summary trials following the 11J protests.

Further Sanctions and U.S. Support for Cubans

In addition to these actions, the State Department announced visa restrictions against several Cuban judicial and prison officials, though their names remain confidential due to immigration privacy regulations. This initiative also includes the addition of new properties to the Prohibited Accommodations List in Cuba, targeting infrastructures tied to the military conglomerate GAESA.

The U.S. administration reiterated its support for the Cuban people and its commitment to holding the regime accountable for its repressive actions. Meanwhile, Cuban authorities have maintained official silence regarding this latest round of sanctions.

U.S. Sanctions on Cuban Officials: Key Questions Answered

Who are the Cuban officials targeted by the U.S. sanctions?

The sanctions target Álvaro López Miera, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, Minister of the Interior, along with their immediate families.

What legislation supports these U.S. sanctions?

The sanctions are supported by section 7031(c) of the Department of State's Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025, which prohibits entry to foreign officials involved in significant corruption or serious human rights abuses.

Why were these sanctions implemented now?

The timing aligns with the fourth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, protests in Cuba, during which there was a significant crackdown by the regime, involving the targeted ministers.

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