US authorities have arrested the sister of the head of the Cuban conglomerate Grupo de Administraci n Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), which the US had previously imposed sanctions on, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X.
According to his statement, “Addis Lastres Morera is the sister of the CEO of GAESA“. She “managed real estate and lived in Florida, while providing support“ to the Cuban authorities until the US administration revokes her permanent resident status.
“I am pleased to report that she was arrested today and is in the custody of ICE - /US Immigration and Customs Enforcement/“, Rubio said, claiming that Morera poses a threat to US national security.
On May 7, Washington imposed sanctions on the conglomerate GAESA, which the US government says controls approximately 40% of the Cuban economy, as well as on the head of the organization, Anja Guillermina Lastres Morera, and on the joint venture MOA Nickel S.A. (MNSA), which mines nickel in the island country. The latter was created by the Canadian company Sherritt International and the Cuban company La Compania General de Niquel.
These restrictions were imposed on the basis of an executive order that sharply tightens the regime of unilateral sanctions against Cuba, signed by US President Donald Trump on May 1. The order seeks to give the US restrictive measures against Cuba an extraterritorial nature. The document states that the restrictions could also affect third countries.