The United States tightens sanctions against Cuba and reduces travel authorizations for American citizens

The United States announced Tuesday that it was tightening sanctions against Cuba by restricting financial operations linked to the island and reducing certain travel authorizations for U.S. citizens. The new measures were adopted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), part of the Treasury Department.

The regulation bans “indirect” financial transactions with sanctioned Cuban entities, particularly those associated with the security apparatus and the Gaesa military conglomerate. It also eliminates the “U-Turn transaction” authorization, introduced in 2024, which allowed U.S. banks to process dollar payments involving Cuba if they began and ended outside the United States and did not involve U.S. citizens.

The new rules also remove U.S. banks’ ability to open accounts for independent Cuban entrepreneurs in the private sector, a measure adopted during the Biden administration to support the sector.

In addition, “people-to-people” travel, as well as participation in conferences and professional meetings, will now require authorization. The decision marks a further deterioration in relations between Washington and Havana following Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The U.S. administration considers Cuba a threat to national security and is maintaining economic pressure on the island, which is facing a severe energy crisis.