United States Imposes Further Sanctions on Nicaragua and Cuba

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday, December 21st, imposed sanctions on the vice president of the Nicaraguan Supreme Court, a legislator and a police chief, and also pointed out three Cuban organizations evading the restrictions imposed by Washington.

A few weeks before the end of Donald Trump’s government, the Treasury maintained its pressure strategy against the dictatorship in Cuba and against Daniel Ortega’s regime in Nicaragua.

The officials blacklisted are Marvin Ramiro Aguilar Garcia, vice president of the Nicaraguan Supreme Court of Justice; Walmaro Antonio Gutierrez Mercadeo, a National Assembly deputy; and Fidel De Jesus Dominguez Alvarez, chief of the national police in the city of Leon.

The sanction implies the blocking of any of their assets in the U.S. financial system, and the prohibition of doing business with U.S. citizens.

The Treasury stated that these individuals are responsible for “supporting the systematic identification, intimidation and punishment of opponents conducted by the Ortega regime.”

“President Ortega and his regime prioritize their profits” and their power over “the demands of Nicaraguans for reform,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

According to the Treasury Department, Aguilar directly advises Ortega and allegedly coordinates attacks against members of the pro-democracy opposition.

U.S. diplomacy stated that, in his role as deputy, Gutiérrez has publicly advocated a controversial law against organizations that receive funding from abroad.

In addition, the U.S. government on Monday identified three Cuban organizations that it accused of using a Panamanian affiliate to evade sanctions.

The Treasury Department reported that the three companies are the Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), controlled by the Cuban military, Financiera Cimex S.A. and Kave Coffee, S.A.

The Trump government, whose term ends on January 20th, “remains committed to targeting the Cuban regime for its malicious behavior and attempts to evade U.S. sanctions,” Mnuchin said.

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