US imposes sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Revolutionary Armed Forces Ministry

The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and some affiliated people and entities, the US Treasury Department’s website showed.

The Cuban government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sanctions, which also targeted four other people and five entities, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba Ministry.

Diaz-Canel, 60, has served as president of the Caribbean country since taking over from Raul Castro, the brother of Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro, in 2018.

Thursday’s action against Diaz-Canel is the latest by Washington to intensify pressure on the island’s communist leaders.

The sanctions were announced as US President Donald Trump told reporters that the US wanted Cuba “to be a nicely run country.”

Last month, the US government imposed sanctions on 11 Cuban officials, including the country’s communications minister, several military leaders and its main intelligence agency.

The US also charged Raul Castro with murder for his alleged involvement in a 1996 incident in which Cuban jets shot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles.