Ministry of Construction
Cuban government ministry designated by OFAC on 20 August 2026, the first Cuban ministry blocked directly rather than a company beneath it.
Last refreshed: 8 September 2026
Timeline for Ministry of Construction
Cuba halts one mine and ends seven more
Cuba DispatchA Cuban ministry lands on the blacklist
Cuba DispatchBackground
Cuba's Ministry of Construction is the government department that issues building permits, holds state construction contracts and owns the enterprises that carry out building work on the island. It is a ministry of the Cuban government, not a company beneath one, and is distinct from any other country's construction ministry.
The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blocked the ministry outright on 20 August 2026, the first Cuban ministry designated directly rather than through a company it controls. The same action designated Cuba's nickel-mining monopoly, the steel trader ACINOX Comercial, the wholesaler CORATUR and three officials of the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos.
Blocking the ministry itself puts a designated counterparty at the top of every construction chain on the island, whether or not the specific company a foreign firm contracted with was named.
What does Cuba's Ministry of Construction do?
Why was Cuba's Ministry of Construction designated by OFAC?
What else did OFAC designate alongside Cuba's Ministry of Construction?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 8 September 2026. Editorial standards.