U.S. Department Of State Sanctions Another Cuba Oil Importer

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
Washington, D.C.
Press Briefing Room
26 November 2019

SECRETARY POMPEO: Good morning, everyone. I want to comment this morning on a few terrorism-related matters, a terrorist regime, and a couple other items as well.

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I also have a short announcement on Cuba.

Today, the United States is taking action to prevent Cubametales from circumventing U.S. sanctions.

Cubametales is a Cuban state-run company and the primary facilitator of illegal oil imports from Venezuela. To further contain their action, we are putting sanctions on another Cuban company, Corporacion Panamericana S.A., pursuant to Executive Order 13850.

Cubametales was sanctioned back on July of 2019. It has since had trouble finding companies willing to conduct business with it.

It has relied on this company to evade sanctions as it carries out the oil for repression scheme between Cuba and Venezuela, a scheme declared illegal by the legitimate government of Venezuela.

The Venezuelan and Cuban people continue to suffer at the hands of despotic actors who put their own interests above the interests of their people.

Today’s action will further squeeze the illegal, profitmaking scheme Cuba carries out to help the illegitimate dictator Nicolas Maduro and his unraveling network of corrupt advisors.