US detains sister of Cuban military business executive pending deportation

The United States has detained Adys Lastres Morera, the sister of a senior executive at Cuba’s military-run business conglomerate GAESA, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on May 21.

According to a separate statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Morera entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident in 2023 and is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, Reuters reports. 

U.S. authorities said Morera’s presence in the country “poses a threat to the United States” and undermines American foreign policy interests.

GAESA, short for Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., is a vast conglomerate of military-controlled businesses that plays a major role in Cuba’s economy. Cuba’s leadership rarely comments publicly on the organisation, maintaining that discretion is necessary due to the long-standing U.S. trade and financial embargo on the island.

By Sabina Mammadli