The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) has accused the United States government of intentionally seeking to incite internal turmoil within Cuba to topple the Revolution. This accusation follows the latest sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury against GAESA and Moa Nickel S.A.
Ariadna Cornelio Hitchman, who coordinates Legal Affairs at the U.S. General Directorate of MINREX, conveyed this stance during the television program Mesa Redonda. She discussed Executive Order 14404, which was signed by Trump on May 1.
"The executive order aims to broaden the scope as much as possible and make this pressure as effective as possible," Cornelio Hitchman explained.
The official emphasized that the measure could impact not only legal entities and institutions but also board members, expanding its intimidating effect.
"The objective is to deteriorate the lives of the Cuban people and undermine the Cuban economy," she stated, adding that the ultimate goal is "to bring about a situation that leads to the Revolution's collapse through internal unrest."
Impact on Humanitarian Aid
A critical component of MINREX's analysis was the inclusion of restrictions on donations in the executive order.
Cornelio argued that this provision debunks what she described as the "fallacy" of the U.S. narrative. In recent months, donations from individuals in the U.S. and other countries have allowed medical supplies for children, cancer patients, and others to reach the island despite embargo restrictions.
"The U.S. government does not care about the well-being of the Cuban people. The Cuban people are not its concern," the regime's official declared.
MINREX also warned in its official statement that Washington aims to "create a humanitarian crisis scenario to justify more dangerous actions, including military aggression against Cuba."
U.S. and Cuban Perspectives on Sanctions
Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío added his voice to the official response with a post on X, asserting that U.S. intelligence agencies have "ample evidence" that Cuba does not pose a threat to the United States, rejecting the national security narrative used by Washington to justify the sanctions.
What the regime fails to mention in its rhetoric is that the crisis impacting the Cuban population did not originate with Trump's sanctions.
A survey revealed that one in three families experiences hunger in Cuba, with 33.9% of households reporting hunger in 2025, prior to the signing of the May 2026 executive order, marking an increase of 9.3 points from 2024.
Deaths due to malnutrition rose by 74% between 2022 and 2023, according to Cuba's own National Office of Statistics and Information, and 80% of Cubans believe the current crisis is worse than the Special Period of the 1990s.
From the U.S. perspective, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described GAESA as "the heart of Cuba's kleptocratic communist system" and indicated that further designations could be expected in the coming days. This is part of a campaign that, since January 2025, has implemented over 240 restrictive measures against the regime.
Understanding U.S. Sanctions on Cuba
What is the purpose of U.S. sanctions against Cuba?
The U.S. sanctions aim to apply pressure on the Cuban government to promote political change, targeting entities like GAESA to undermine the regime's economic foundations.
How have the sanctions affected the Cuban population?
Sanctions have exacerbated shortages, impacting essential goods and services, leading to increased hardship for the Cuban people.
What has been the Cuban government's response to these sanctions?
The Cuban government has accused the U.S. of creating a crisis to justify aggressive actions and has criticized the sanctions as harmful to its citizens.