Cuban Foreign Minister Calls Rubio's Obsession a Failure

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez stated today that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has now incorporated directors and officials of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) into his failed obsession against Cuba.

In a message on Telegram, Foreign Minister Rodríguez indicated that Rubio continues to penalize Cuban enterprises with the deliberate purpose of affecting the economy and preventing the island's government from guaranteeing basic services to the population, which, "are already in a critical situation as a result of the blockade."

He emphasized that, in particular, Rubio is obstructing the transportation of containers carrying food, medicines, and medical devices, mostly purchased by Cuban private micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes).

Rodríguez underscored that, in his failed obsession against Cuba, Rubio now incorporates directors and officials of ICAP, "an institution that for more than six decades has promoted friendship, international solidarity, justice, and peace."

This, he stressed, is the complete opposite of what the "Secretary of State has always promoted in his corrupt policy."

The U.S. Department of State announced sanctions on Thursday against the president of that institution, Fernando González, and nine Cuban enterprises and entities, as part of the escalating harassment and maximum pressure campaign of Donald Trump's administration against Cuba.

The punitive measure by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also included ICAP First Vice President Noemí Rabaza and Director for North America Leima Martínez.

Additionally, sanctions were imposed on the entities Acinox Comercial, Geominsal, Metalcuba, the Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara Nickel Enterprise, the Ministry of Construction, and the Agencia de Contratación a Representaciones Comerciales SA.

Also included were Coratur SA, Transimport, and Consumimport, three enterprises of the Foreign Trade Business Group (Gecomex), which had already been penalized by Washington.

The document released by the U.S. authority justified the new round of sanctions by citing the slanderous July 20 State Department report entitled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," which was rejected by Havana.

All parties sanctioned Thursday by the U.S. Department of State "have been designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 14404," according to the text.

As part of the hostile policy of maximum pressure against Cuba, the United States announced sanctions on August 6 against five state entities and eight Cuban officials.