The Cuban Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, has faced two significant setbacks within a span of 48 hours. First, he was targeted by a new round of U.S. sanctions on Wednesday, and by Friday, the Ministry itself (MINSAP) revealed on X that the minister's personal account had been hacked.
"We inform you that the Minister of Public Health of Cuba, Dr. José Angel Portal Miranda, now has a new official profile on X following the hacking of his previous account," MINSAP announced, stating that the minister's new official username is @PortalMirandaJA, replacing the prior handle @japortalmiranda.
The ministry did not provide details about the hackers or what content might have been shared from the compromised account.
This social media breach coincided with the U.S. State Department's announcement of sanctions against Portal Miranda and Cuban medical missions, which also targeted the Central Unit of Medical Cooperation (UCCM), its director Gretza Sánchez Padrón, and the Cuban Medical Services Trader (CSMC).
Overall, the sanctions identified nine entities and two individuals linked to the Cuban regime. Washington has labeled Cuban medical missions as a form of "forced labor" and "human trafficking," highlighting that tens of thousands of medical workers in over 50 countries are subjected to such exploitation.
The measures are backed by Executive Order 14404, signed by Donald Trump on May 1, 2026, which authorizes sanctions against individuals involved in repression in Cuba.
The Cuban government disputes the characterization of its missions as forced labor, defending them as international medical cooperation.
The sanctions are part of a broader, gradual campaign by the Trump administration that began in May, initially targeting regime elites, followed by military entities and the oil company Unión Cuba-Petróleo in June, and now focusing on the core of the overseas medical missions program, a key revenue source for the Cuban state.
Portal Miranda, who has held the position since July 2018, is a physician, a member of the National Assembly, and part of the Communist Party of Cuba's Central Committee.
He has led MINSAP during one of the most challenging periods for Cuba's healthcare system. In July 2025, he acknowledged a "structural crisis without precedent" in the sector to the National Assembly, noting that only about 30% of essential medications were available. By February 2026, Portal Miranda admitted to the Associated Press that the Cuban health system was "on the brink of collapse."
This hacking incident is not the first to affect regime officials on X; in January 2025, the official account of the Cuban Foreign Ministry was compromised and used to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency called "Cuban Digital Coin."
Key Points on Cuban Health Minister's Sanctions and Account Hacking
What led to the U.S. sanctions against José Ángel Portal Miranda?
The U.S. sanctions were imposed due to the involvement of Cuban medical missions in what Washington describes as "forced labor" and "human trafficking."
How did the Cuban Ministry of Public Health respond to the hacking of Portal Miranda's account?
The Ministry announced the creation of a new official profile for Portal Miranda on X, replacing the previous hacked account.
What is Executive Order 14404?
Executive Order 14404, signed by Donald Trump, allows for sanctions against individuals involved in repression in Cuba.