The exclusion of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," from the latest sanctions unveiled by Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised questions both in Cuba and abroad.
As Washington tightened measures against GAESA and imposed sanctions on new officials tied to the regime's economic and repressive apparatus, the grandson of Raúl Castro remains conspicuously absent from the Treasury Department's SDN List.
This omission is striking for several reasons. Currently, only eight Cubans are on the United States' most severe sanctions list, which entails asset freezes and financial blockades.
Despite being the son of the late General Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, former GAESA president and the first Cuban individually sanctioned by Washington in 2020, El Cangrejo's name does not appear.
The disparity becomes more apparent when comparing Cuba to other countries sanctioned by the U.S. Russia has over 1,500 individuals on the SDN list due to the war in Ukraine, while Venezuela has more than a hundred.
Despite decades of accusations against Cuba for political repression and human rights abuses, only eight names have been added to the list so far.
El Cangrejo's Potential Role as a Liaison
The most plausible explanation for this exclusion suggests Rodríguez Castro might be acting as a go-between for Raúl Castro's circle and certain sectors of the Trump administration.
Since February 2026, close advisors to Marco Rubio reportedly engaged in meetings with El Cangrejo in Basseterre, the capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis. According to various sources, the discussions focused on Cuba's "future" and occurred in a surprisingly amicable environment.
In April, an official State Department delegation flew to Havana on the first U.S. government flight since 2016. During this visit, a senior official had a separate meeting with Rodríguez Castro, as confirmed by both Washington and the Cuban MINREX.
Days later, it became known that El Cangrejo attempted to establish a direct line with Donald Trump through a letter sent via Roberto Carlos Chamizo González, a MININT agent with business cover. The contact, however, did not succeed after reaching Miami on April 18.
The Untouchable Power Figure
Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro holds a strategic position within the power structure, even though he doesn't occupy visible positions within the Cuban government or the Political Bureau.
Various sources linked to the Cuban power elite suggest that El Cangrejo has inherited some of the control and influence exerted by his father, Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, over the military conglomerate GAESA, always under Raúl Castro's direct trust.
He does not hold any formal political or institutional roles, yet several sources describe him as a figure wielding significant power within the regime's structure. He acts as Raúl Castro's spokesman. Since 2016, he has managed his grandfather's personal security and controls all access to the leader.
In public events, El Cangrejo is often seen seated alongside members of the country's top political body, an image that reinforces reports of his growing internal influence in the government.
Sanctioning him now might close one of the few open communication channels between Washington and Raúl Castro's closest circle at a time when the Trump administration continues to apply public pressure on the Cuban regime while keeping negotiations on the table.
When announcing the new measures, Marco Rubio stated that "more sanctions against the Cuban regime will come in days and weeks," hinting that El Cangrejo's exclusion might be a strictly strategic decision rather than a political pardon.
FAQs on U.S. Sanctions and "El Cangrejo"
Why isn't El Cangrejo on the U.S. sanctions list?
The exclusion may be due to his potential role as a liaison between Raúl Castro's inner circle and certain U.S. administration sectors.
How many Cubans are currently sanctioned by the U.S.?
Only eight Cubans are listed on the U.S.' most severe sanctions list as of now.
What is El Cangrejo's role within the Cuban government?
Although he doesn't hold formal positions, El Cangrejo is a significant power figure, managing Raúl Castro's personal security and acting as his spokesman.