United States sanctioned three other senior Cuban officials for cracking down on July 11 protests

US Treasury Department sanctioned Thursday three senior Cuban officials for the “violent repression” of the demonstrations that took place on the island on May 11.

The sanctions were applied by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to Roberto Legra Sotolongo and Andrés Laureano González Brito the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba (MINFAR), and Abelardo Jiménez González (Jiménez) of the Cuban Interior Ministry (MININT).

The decision includes all three in the Treasury blacklist, with which all its assets in the United States were frozen and transactions were prohibited with US citizens or entities.

Thursday is fourth series of sanctions applied by United States against those “responsible for the repression of peaceful and pro-democratic protests in Cuba,” the Treasury reported in a statement.

“The Treasury Department will continue to hold accountable those who allow the Cuban government to perpetuate human rights violations”said the director of the Bureau of Foreign Assets Control, Andrea M. Gacki.

“Today’s action exposes the authors responsible for suppressing the demands of the Cuban people for freedom and respect for human rights “.

“Cuban security forces arrested over 800 people in response to protests, many of whom are in “preventive prison” and the fate of several people is still unknown, “the statement said.

Add them to the Treasury sanctions blacklist freeze any property they own in the United States and prohibit any transactions using the US financial system.

Since the July 2021 protests in Cuba began, the Cuban regime has used security forces to suppress peaceful protesters.

Roberto Legra Sotolongo is Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of the Operations Directorate of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), dependent on MINFAR, which deployed the Preventive Troops (TDP), a unit of the military police, in response to the protests.

Jiménez is the Head of the Penitentiary Establishments Directorate, dependent on MININT; In this position, he is responsible for the treatment and disposal of those imprisoned in Cuba. GonzálezFor his part, he is the head of the central army, also dependent on MINFAR.

President Joe Biden has warned Havana that more action is possible, and Washington has called for the release of the detained protesters., while trying to find ways to guarantee Internet access for the Cuban people.

In addition to the sanctions imposed today, OFAC continues to work to strengthen the sanctions in Cuba. Indeed, OFAC administers the current embargo on the island, which prohibits people with ties to the United States from carrying out any transaction involving Cuban property.

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