US sanctions Cuba's Beijing military attache over China procurement

The United States has imposed sanctions on Waldo Perez Cortes, Cuba's high-ranking military official in Beijing, for his role in acquiring military equipment from China for Cuba's armed forces. Announced on Thursday, the sanctions affect six Cuban individuals and five entities, all of which have been added to the US Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list. Perez Cortes, recognized by the Cuban state news outlet Prensa Latina as a senior colonel and military, naval, and air attache in Beijing, is affiliated with Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR). The US State Department indicated his involvement in the procurement activities but did not disclose specific details about the equipment, suppliers, or transactions. Additionally, two officials already under US sanctions were included in this new Cuba-related action. These measures are part of the US's broader strategy to combat Cuba's purported efforts to secure military supplies from China and Russia.