Rubio imposes sanctions on Cuban institute tied to US nonprofits funded by communist donor Singham

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sweeping sanctions targeting a Cuban organization with decades of ties to American activist groups, many now bankrolled by communist billionaire Neville Roy Singham. The move blocks U.S. entities from conducting business with the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, known as ICAP, an institution founded by Fidel Castro in 1960 to export Marxist ideology. American intelligence agencies long identified ICAP as a core element of Cuba’s espionage network.

Rubio emphasized the historical role Havana played in supporting radical movements. ICAP worked with American nonprofits earlier this year to organize a March convoy that brought controversial Marxist streamer Hasan Piker to Cuba to support the communist regime. The trip drew federal scrutiny, with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin confirming she received questions from authorities investigating potential sanctions violations.

Federal probe examines network of 145 groups with collective billion-dollar revenues

Federal investigators are examining Cuba’s alleged foreign influence operation in the United States, focusing on a network of 145 organizations with combined revenues of approximately US$ 1 billion. The groups promote Cuba’s agenda and communist ideology across American soil. The investigation centers on whether these entities acted on behalf of foreign interests without proper registration and amplified messaging favorable to the Chinese Communist Party and Communist Party of Cuba.

Organizations working closely with ICAP include the People’s Forum, CodePink, BreakThrough News and Tricontinental. Singham, a tech tycoon residing in Shanghai, pumped US$ 285 million into nonprofits since 2017 that built intimate relationships with ICAP and Cuba’s communist government. Singham is married to CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans.

ICAP is led by Fernando González Llort, one of five former Cuban intelligence officers known as the “Cuban Five” convicted in the United States on espionage-related charges. Critics argue ICAP serves as a gateway for revolutionaries worldwide to embed themselves in propaganda, organizing tactics and strategic goals of Cuba’s Communist Party. ICAP denied wrongdoing, describing itself as a civil society organization.

Trump administration targets multiple Cuban entities under executive order authority

ICAP was one of five entities Rubio designated as off-limits under sanctions authorities established by President Donald Trump’s Cuba executive order. The sanctions also hit Cuba’s Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, mining company Minera La Victoria and state-run tourism firm Amistur Cuba, which arranged trips to Cuba with nonprofits in the Singham network.

• Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples faces complete business ban from American entities
• Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces added to sanctions list
• State tourism company Amistur Cuba blocked for coordinating activist visits
• Mining operation Minera La Victoria designated under executive order
• Committees for the Defense of the Revolution targeted for revolutionary activities

Experts said the action signals the administration is focused not only on the Cuban government but also on American institutions that officials believe help project Cuban influence internationally. Rubio warned anyone providing services to sanctioned actors risks sanctions themselves. Foreign banks and other companies serving these entities should freeze activities immediately.

Declassified CIA documents reveal decades-long propaganda apparatus

A declassified CIA report from the Cold War era described Cuba’s international propaganda and influence activities as central to Castro’s foreign policy strategy. The document named ICAP among organizations acting as important instruments for cultivating sympathetic political movements abroad and extending Cuban influence beyond the island. One notable example was the Venceremos Brigade, a Cuba solidarity program established in 1969 that brought generations of American activists to the island through exchanges organized with Cuban authorities and ICAP.

The program became one of the most visible pipelines connecting American activists to the Cuban revolutionary government. Today, the Venceremos Brigade operates as a fiscally-sponsored project of the People’s Forum. Lawmakers and federal authorities examine whether Singham-funded organizations acted on behalf of foreign interests without proper registration.

Progressive leaders with Cuban connections face renewed scrutiny

During the March convoy, Progressive International co-founder David Adler appeared alongside Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and ICAP President González at an official event hosted by ICAP. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass participated in Venceremos Brigade trips years ago, a connection opponent Spencer Pratt resurfaced during her campaign. Bass denied wrongdoing.

Supporters of such exchanges describe them as educational and humanitarian programs intended to foster international understanding. Critics argue they function as political influence operations designed to build support for the Cuban regime and its ideological objectives. The Cuban government condemned Rubio’s sanctions immediately after the announcement.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused the United States of escalating economic pressure against Cuba and attempting to intensify tensions between the two countries. The Treasury Department added new names of Cuban leaders, organizations and companies to what Díaz-Canel called an illegitimate sanctions list. He claimed the measures aim to reinforce blockade measures and create a conflict scenario between Cuba and the United States. The administration’s action extends beyond sanctioned entities, signaling increased focus on networks, partnerships and influence channels officials believe advanced Cuban interests abroad long after the Cold War officially ended.