Sawt Falasteen - US imposes sanctions on Cuban president, Castro family members

Among those targeted were the son and a grandson of former president Raul Castro, who no longer holds an official position but remains a key power-broker on the island.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel, his wife and stepson were also hit by the latest flurry of US sanctions, as was the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and several other entities.

While Cuba has been under a US trade embargo since 1962, President Donald Trump has drastically ramped up pressure in recent months, cutting off its fuel supplies and threatening to take over the island.

Washington claims that Cuba's communist regime threatens the security of Americans.

Trump has repeatedly stated it could be next to fall, after the January overthrow of Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro and the US campaign against Iran.

"We'll take care of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and as soon as that's done, on our way back, we'll just make a little brief stop over," Trump said Thursday, alluding to Cuba.

He denied that the new sanctions, which follow a US murder indictment against Raul Castro and sanctions on a military conglomerate that controls much of Cuba's economy, were aimed at accelerating the island's collapse.

Washington had already taken aim at Diaz-Canel last year, banning him and his family from entering the United States.

Writing on X, Diaz-Canel accused Trump of trying to "strengthen the blockade and scenario of conflict between Cuba and the United States" and vowed that Cubans would "resist the imperialist onslaught."

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the "vile" sanctions would be met with "greater unity and determination from our people."

Trump told reporters at the White House he just wanted Cuba to be "a nicely run country that can feed its people.

"But the country is starving, and it's got no energy, it's got no oil, it's got no money, it's got nothing."

He noted however that Cuba has "a beautiful piece of land," musing: "You could have beautiful resorts."

- 'Explosive cocktail' -

The fuel embargo in place since January has left Cuba without diesel for generators used to bolster its crumbling power supply, resulting in power outages of up to 22 hours a day and shortages of tap water.

With transport virtually at a standstill, the island is also running short on food and medicine, making it reliant on aid shipments from Mexico and China.

The United Nations representative on the island warned Thursday that the humanitarian emergency, coupled with the onset of the Caribbean hurricane season, made for an "explosive cocktail."

The east of the island is still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, which caused major destruction in October last year.

N.AbuHussein--SF-PST