US sanctions Cuban President Díaz-Canel and other officials for human rights violations

The U.S. government has announced sanctions against Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials for human rights violations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that visa restrictions will target officials involved in detaining and torturing protesters from demonstrations in July 2021. The protests sparked by blackouts were the largest in decades and highlighted Cuba’s economic crisis. Human rights groups say authorities and pro-government groups suppressed the demonstrations, leading to over 1,000 arrests. The Cuban government has blamed U.S. sanctions and media campaigns for the unrest. Advocacy groups report hundreds remain imprisoned, though some were granted conditional release earlier this year.