Cuba’s economic strife is likely to get worse after the United States imposed more sanctions on it over its support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Cuba’s human rights record.
The Department of Commerce said that it is revoking existing licenses for aircraft leases to Cuban state-owned airlines and will deny future applications for aircraft leases.
The US will also expand sanctions to include more foreign goods containing US content and impose additional restrictions on exports to the Cuban government, the statement said.
"This action by the Commerce Department sends another clear message to the Cuban regime - that they must immediately cease their destructive behaviour at home and abroad," said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
Last month the US imposed sanctions on Cuba's Raul Castro, along with his children for his support of Mr Maduro.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected the decision, calling it "inhumane, cruel, unfair and genocidal" in a post on Twitter.
In a separate statement, the US State Department criticised Cuba for its detention of dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer, calling on Havana to disclose his whereabouts, treat him humanely and release him without condition.
Mr Ferrer, a prominent figure who leads the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), was arrested in Santiago de Cuba on Oct. 1 after a police raid on his home, which is also the group's headquarters.
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