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Marco Rubio Announces Visa Restrictions Targeting Key Cuban Regime Figures

Saturday, July 12, 2025 by Oscar Fernandez

Marco Rubio Announces Visa Restrictions Targeting Key Cuban Regime Figures
Díaz-Canel with Raúl Castro at an event and Marco Rubio with Donald Trump - Image © X / Presidency Cuba and Donald Trump

On Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed the United States' dedication to defending human rights in Cuba by announcing new sanctions against Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel and other high-ranking officials of the regime. "We are imposing visa restrictions on key figures of the Cuban regime," Rubio stated on the social media platform X, referencing Díaz-Canel, Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera, and Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas.

Rubio's announcement coincides with the fourth anniversary of the popular uprising on July 11, 2021, when thousands of Cubans took to the streets demanding freedom, only to face severe repression. The Department of State has declared a ban on these three officials, along with their immediate families, from entering the United States due to their involvement in serious human rights abuses.

These sanctions are backed by a provision in the State Department's Appropriations Act for the fiscal year 2025, which bars entry to foreign officials engaged in corruption or repression. According to Rubio, the goal of these measures is to hold "the regime's leaders" accountable for "their role in the brutality against the Cuban people."

In addition to the visa restrictions, the Department of State has added the newly opened luxury hotel Torre K in Havana and 10 other properties tied to the military conglomerate GAESA to its list of Prohibited Accommodations in Cuba. "While the Cuban population suffers from shortages of food, water, medicines, and electricity, the regime squanders money on its insiders," Rubio criticized in his post.

These sanctions add to previous measures enforced by Joe Biden, who had already designated López Miera and Álvarez Casas for their role in the July 11th repression. Organizations like Justicia 11J have documented over 1,500 arrests related to the protests, many followed by summary trials and lengthy sentences.

Meanwhile, the Cuban government's official response has yet to be released, although historically, Havana has condemned these types of sanctions as interference. International pressure concerning the human rights situation in Cuba continues to mount.

Understanding the Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba

What prompted the new sanctions against Cuban officials?

The sanctions were prompted by the officials' involvement in severe human rights violations, particularly in response to the July 11, 2021, uprising in Cuba.

Who are the main figures affected by the visa restrictions?

The visa restrictions target Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera, and Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas, along with their immediate families.

How do these sanctions affect Cuban properties?

The sanctions include the addition of the Torre K hotel and other properties linked to GAESA to the list of Prohibited Accommodations in Cuba, limiting their financial benefits from American visitors.

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