CONDEMNATION has broken out after Cuba’s president and first lady were slapped with further sanctions by the Trump administration as it ramps up pressure on the island’s leadership.

Alongside President Miguel Diaz-Canel and his wife Lis Cuesta Peraza, three others were also hit by penalties, including Alejandro Castro Espin — son of former Cuban president Raul Castro — who served as an adviser to Cuba’s defence and national security commission, and his son Raul Alejandro Castro Calis.

The latest sanctions come amid the US energy blockade on Cuba that has choked off fuel shipments to the Caribbean island, resulting in severe blackouts, food shortages and economic collapse.

They also follow last month’s US indictment of former Cuban president Castro, accused of ordering the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles.

Enforced after Mr Trump signed an executive order, the penalties include freezing individuals’ property and bank accounts in the US.

However, former US national security adviser on Latin America Richard Feinberg said it is “pretty unlikely” that the Cuban president and others have assets tied up in the US, adding that the sanctions “could be seen as preliminary to an intervention or increasing pressure on the regime to cut a deal.”

On X, Mr Diaz-Canel said Mr Trump’s “measures are aimed at reinforcing the blockade and escalating the conflict,” warning that “the aggression and perversion of the US government will clash with our resolve to resist the imperial onslaught.” His wife Ms Peraza wrote that “it is almost an honor to be on this ‘list’,” dismissing the move as “political stupidity.”

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez condemned the sanctions as “creating a scenario of conflict,” calling the inclusion of Mr Diaz-Canel and others “the latest example of the US interventionist plan to portray Cuba as a threat to US national security.”

Challenged over whether the sanctions could accelerate Cuba’s collapse, Mr Trump said “it’s sort of collapsed,” before adding “we’re going to handle that as soon as we’ve finished” military operations in Iran.

“I like to do one thing at a time,” he said.