Washington imposes additional sanctions on Cuba

Washington, Sept 30 (KUNA) -- The United States announced on Wednesday that the Treasury Department imposed additional sanctions on Cuba this week and amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations as part of its efforts to counter what it termed “repression” in the Caribbean island and “threats” posed by the Cuban regime to U.S. national security.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement that the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) “published new sanctions regulations on Cuba this week, implementing Executive Order 14404 issued by President (Donald) Trump, titled ‘Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and Threats to U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy.’”

He added that the Treasury Department also amended the existing “Cuban Assets Control Regulations” “to close loopholes that the Cuban regime has long exploited to circumvent sanctions, enrich regime insiders, and fund dangerous subversive and military activities that threaten U.S. national security.”

Pigott emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment “to leveraging all available sanctioning authorities to advance fundamental reform in Cuba, support the Cuban people’s aspirations for freedom, and hold accountable individuals and entities that pose a threat to U.S. national security.” (End) R.S.R. / M.A.A.