A relative of Carlos Antonio Lloga Domínguez, a former official of the Cuban regime who was detained this week by federal agents, spoke out to Telemundo 51, asserting his innocence. Lloga Domínguez, along with his wife Etna Cecilia Sanz Pérez and their son, remains in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), awaiting deportation back to Cuba.
Senator Marco Rubio announced the arrest on Tuesday, explaining that the legal status of the three Cubans was revoked due to alleged ties with the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), an organization that Washington views as a tool for intelligence and propaganda by the Havana regime.
Family Stands by the Detained
The relative who spoke with Telemundo 51 refuted claims that Lloga Domínguez poses any danger or has engaged in illegal activities, maintaining his innocence against the accusations from the State Department.
As of now, neither the detained individuals nor their legal representatives have issued any additional public statements.
Who is Lloga Domínguez According to U.S. Authorities?
The State Department claims that Lloga Domínguez served for over a decade as a "foreign subversive" linked to ICAP, maintaining active connections with transnational networks even after settling in the United States.
Researcher and activist Luis Domínguez from the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba provided insight into Lloga Domínguez's background: "He was the president and director of the Casa del Caribe in Santiago de Cuba, related to ICAP, which I call the Cuban Institute for Spying on the Peoples."
Rubio's Stern Warnings
"For decades, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples has served as a vehicle for radical left-wing extremism and subversive foreign influence within the U.S. and throughout the hemisphere," Rubio stated, justifying the action taken.
The State Department characterized ICAP as an organization that "leverages its extensive global network to spy on Americans, disseminate anti-Western propaganda, coordinate foreign influence operations, and organize leftist revolutionary movements worldwide."
He issued a stark warning to anyone connected to the organization: "If you engage in transactions with ICAP, you will be sanctioned, prosecuted, or deported from our country."
Rubio emphasized, "The United States will never be a sanctuary for foreign communists spreading propaganda, conducting subversive influence operations, or supporting radical anti-American movements within the country."
ICAP and Its President Under Scrutiny
The State Department describes ICAP as a network encompassing over 2,000 organizations across more than 150 countries, with ties to Cuban intelligence services and "close working relationships between Havana and radical American groups."
Its current president, Fernando González Llort, was convicted in the U.S. for his involvement in the Wasp Network, a Cuban spy network dismantled by the FBI in Florida in 1998, serving 15 years in prison before being repatriated to Cuba in 2014.
On Wednesday, González Llort responded publicly to Rubio, dismissing his statements as "baseless lies" and accusing him of "deliberate misinformation" and "defamation" against the organization.
"The Secretary of State is irked that friends of Cuba and honest people of goodwill raise their voices against the genocidal and criminal policies of Yankee imperialism," González Llort wrote on Facebook.
The Legal Framework Behind the Sanctions
Lloga Domínguez's detention marks the first direct action against an individual linked to ICAP on U.S. soil under Executive Order 14404, signed by Trump on May 1, 2026.
On June 4, 2026, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added ICAP and its associated company Amistur S.A. to the sanctions list, freezing all their assets and interests in the U.S. Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against the Cuban regime.
González Llort concluded his response with a defiant statement: "ICAP will remain steadfast in fulfilling the mission for which it was created over 65 years ago. Solidarity cannot be blocked."
Understanding the Impact of ICAP's Activities and Sanctions
What is the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)?
ICAP is an organization that the U.S. considers a tool for Cuban intelligence and propaganda, with ties to radical groups and influence operations worldwide.
Why was Carlos Antonio Lloga Domínguez detained?
Lloga Domínguez was detained due to alleged connections with ICAP, which the U.S. government deems a foreign subversive influence, leading to the revocation of his legal status.