Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Four years ago, thousands of Cubans peacefully took to the streets to demand a future free from tyranny. The Cuban regime responded with violence and repression, unjustly detaining thousands, including over 700 who are still imprisoned and subjected to torture or abuse.
Today, the Department of State is taking steps to implement President Trump’s strengthened Cuba policy outlined in National Security Presidential Memorandum-5 from June 30, 2025. In solidarity with the Cuban people and the island’s political prisoners, the United States is designating key regime leaders under Section 7031(c) for their involvement in gross violations of human rights. We are also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on numerous Cuban judicial and prison officials responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention and torture of July 2021 protestors.
In addition, the Department is updating the Cuba Restricted List and the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List to include 11 regime-linked properties, including the new 42-story “Torre K” hotel, to prevent U.S. funds from reaching the island’s corrupt repressors.
The U.S. will continue to stand for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Cuba, and make clear no illegitimate, dictatorial regimes are welcome in our hemisphere.
The designations of Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, López Miera, Álvarez Casas, and their immediate family members are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (Div. A, P.L. 119-4). The steps to impose visa restrictions on Cuban officials are taken under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. For more information, please contact WHA-PDA-Press@state.gov.
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