US sanctions Cuba’s military representative in Beijing over China procurement

On Thursday, the United States sanctioned Cuba's senior military representative in Beijing, Waldo Perez Cortes, accusing him of aiding in the procurement of military equipment from China for Cuba's armed forces. Perez Cortes, a high-ranking officer in Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR), was one of six Cuban nationals and five entities added to the US Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list.

The US State Department stated that Perez Cortes was involved in the procurement of military equipment from China to Cuba, though the specific equipment, suppliers, and transactions were not identified. Six officials and five Cuban entities were newly sanctioned under the US Treasury Department's Cuba-related authority, while two existing sanctions were extended.

Perez Cortes had previously appeared alongside Chinese military officials and spoken about China's support for Cuba's defense capabilities. The sanctions package also targeted other Cuban officials and state enterprises accused of obtaining military equipment from China and Russia, including Heriberto Sanchez Alleyne, director general of the state-owned importer Tecnoimport, and Duna SA.

Additionally, Cuba's Military Industries Union (UIM) and four other companies involved in military equipment, technical products, and trade were sanctioned. The US Secretary of State accused Cuba of serving as a staging ground for China, Russia, and Iran to conduct operations against the United States, emphasizing the US administration's efforts to protect national security by sanctioning entities and individuals associated with Cuba's military relationships.