Romárico Vidal Sotomayor García – chief of the Political Directorate of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) (Source: ecured.cu)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The Biden administration hit top Cuban officials with more sanctions amid the suppression of peaceful protests that broke out on the island last month. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions last Friday against Romarico Vidal Sotomayor Garcia and Pedro Orlando Martinez Fernandez (Martinez) of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT); and the Tropas de Prevencion (TDP) of the Cuban Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR). This is the third round of sanctions since protests started in Cuba on July 11, 2021, as the Treasury Department “continues to aggressively target persons in connection with actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba.” On July 22, Biden’s Treasury Department slapped sanctions on a top Cuban military official and a government special forces unit. Biden also sanctioned the Cuban Ministry of the Interior’s Special National Brigade or “Boinas Negras” (Black Berets), which has been accused of human rights abuses associated with the protests. The Treasury Department singled out Cuban Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera, for having “played an integral role in the repression” of ongoing protests in Cuba.
“The Treasury Department will continue to designate those who enable the Cuban government to perpetuate human rights abuses against peaceful demonstrators.”
-said Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki.
He added that the Treasury action “shines a spotlight on additional perpetrators responsible for suppressing the Cuban people’s calls for freedom and respect for human rights.”
Cuban Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera Sanctioned by U.S.
Álvaro López Miera Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba (Ministerio de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias). (Credit: Granma)
The Treasury Department singled out Cuban Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera, for having “played an integral role in the repression” of ongoing protests in Cuba.
The Treasury Department said since the beginning of the July 2021 protests in Cuba, the Cuban regime has dispatched security forces to suppress peaceful demonstrators, deploying units from both MININT and MINFAR. “Sotomayor is the chief of the Political Directorate of MININT, which has deployed, amongst other forces, the Brigada Especial Nacional del Ministerio del Interior (SNB) and the Policia Nacional Revolucionaria (PNR), both previously designated by OFAC. Martinez is the chief of the Political Directorate of the PNR. The SNB and PNR, along with other MININT security forces and the TDP, have violently attacked and arrested protestors across Cuba,” according to a statement from Treasury.
The TDP, also known as “Boinas Rojas” or Red Berets, is a unit of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) that is commanded by MINFAR and functions as military police, according to the Treasury Department. During the recent protests, TDP soldiers have been deployed, and in one instance have been involved in a violent engagement with a protester, Treasury said.
Romárico Vidal Sotomayor García – chief of the Political Directorate of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) (Source: acrc.cu)
Sotomayor and Martinez were designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, MININT. MININT was previously designated by OFAC pursuant to E.O. 13818 on January 15, 2021 for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse.
CUBA Accuses U.S. Of “Manipulation and Lies” to maintain Cuban Blockade
I reject the US opportunistic measures against Cuba's Ministry of Interior officers and Armed Forces Prevention Troops.
Such measures reflect double standards of a government used to manipulation and lies to maintain the blockade against #Cuba.
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) August 13, 2021
