All articles tagged with #gaesa
With the Trump-era sanctions tightening Cuba’s economic chokehold, a network of US insiders, Cuban exiles and lobbyists are vying to control the island’s assets—pushing bids to buy Sherritt’s stake, moving deals through firms like Antilles Gold and Dominari, and lining up lobbying and funding as potential post-regime opportunities emerge across energy, shipping, and food sectors.
USA TODAY profiles Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Raul Castro’s eldest grandson and a powerful, unofficial operator known as 'El Cangrejo.' Raised in the revolutionary inner circle, he wields influence via GAESA, argues he can broker a deal with the United States and has sought back-channel diplomacy with the Trump administration, including private meetings and a thwarted letter. He envisions an economically open Cuba while insisting he remains aligned with Cuba’s revolution, but his real authority and the path to a political transition remain uncertain within Cuba’s collective leadership.
The United States announced a new round of sanctions targeting five Cuban entities tied to the regime, including GAESA-linked financial institutions and GAESA’s logistics unit, plus the state mining firm GeoMinera and a member of the Castro family, under Executive Order 14404. The measures, expanding on earlier actions, aim to sever the regime’s financial and operational networks and pressure its military-backed apparatus, with warnings that foreign banks and service providers aiding these entities could face sanctions.
Senior Trump administration officials reportedly ran tabletop drills and discussed escalating sanctions-driven pressure to destabilize Cuba, with no invasion planned or imminent. The staged approach—described as accelerationist—aims to trigger unrest as conditions worsen on the island, while Rubio pushes sanctions on GAESA and foreign companies; advisers warn against prolonged involvement and stress keeping boots on the ground to a minimum.
The Trump administration is stepping up pressure on Cuba to hasten a regime collapse without a U.S. invasion, deploying a broad sanctions program targeting GAESA and conducting multiagency war games while hoping to maximize leverage as Venezuela’s oil lifeline dries up. Officials describe the approach as 'accelerationism'—pressuring the regime, watching for responses, then pressing again—while offering limited carrots and noting Congress constraints on easing the embargo. The plan leans on NGO-led aid rather than government channels and contrasts with Maduro-style interventions, aiming to time a transition while keeping options open.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio marks Cuban Independence Day with a direct message to Cubans blaming the communist leadership and GAESA for shortages, promoting a 'new relationship' and aid channeled through trusted groups rather than the regime, as U.S. sanctions and a looming Castro indictment intensify pressure on Havana.
Sen. Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on Cuba under the May 1 Trump-era executive order, targeting GAESA—the military-controlled umbrella of the Cuban economy—and entities tied to it, including Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera and Moa Nickel S.A. (MNSA) for exploiting resources and assets expropriated from U.S. interests; the action comes as the State Department boosts personnel readiness in Florida and signals more designations to come.
With back-channel talks underway, the Trump administration sees Díaz-Canel as an obstacle and hints at replacing him as part of a deal to push Cuba toward economic and political reforms, while Raúl Castro’s circle and GAESA maintain power; removing Díaz-Canel would test Cuba’s institutional stability and the credibility of any U.S.–Cuba agreement, even as protests and exodus have eroded his legitimacy.