Key facts
- Senator Marco Rubio has sanctioned the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).
- ICAP is accused of spreading Marxist ideology and supporting Cuba.
- The sanctions target five entities, including the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.
- ICAP has organized trips with U.S. nonprofits like People's Forum, Progressive International, and CodePink.
- These nonprofits have received significant funding from Marxist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham.
Senator Marco Rubio has announced sanctions targeting the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), an organization founded by Fidel Castro in 1960 to promote Marxist ideology and support for Cuba. U.S. officials consider ICAP a key part of Cuba's intelligence apparatus. The sanctions also include five other entities, such as Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR), the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), Minera La Victoria S.A., and the state-run tourism company Amistur Cuba S.A. These actions aim to disrupt a network of U.S. institutions, including the People's Forum, Progressive International, and CodePink, which have allegedly been funded by Marxist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham to promote Cuba's agenda. Singham has reportedly invested $285 million into these nonprofits since 2017. ICAP, led by Fernando González Llort, a former Cuban intelligence officer, denies wrongdoing and states it is a civil society organization. Experts suggest these sanctions signal a focus on both the Cuban government and U.S. entities perceived to be projecting Cuban influence internationally.