State Department imposes additional sanctions targeting Cuba

The U.S. Department of State imposed blocking sanctions on one individual (in Cuba) and five entities (in Cuba) under its Cuba sanctions program (E.O. 14404) targeting repression by the Castro regime, exploitation of Cuba's financial, energy, and metals/mining sectors, and support to state-owned oil and nickel enterprises. The designations target the grandson of Raúl Castro, designated as an adult family member of previously-designated Alejandro Castro Espín, Banco Exterior de Cuba (a state-owned bank for corporate/foreign-trade finance), Comercial CUPET S.A. and Empresa Importadora de Abastecimiento para el Petróleo/ABAPET (both linked to state oil monopoly CUPET), and Nicarotec and CEXNI (nickel/mining-sector support and import enterprises). OFAC concurrently issued Cuba General License 4A authorizing transactions for third-country diplomatic and consular missions in Cuba.