By REUTERS
 
MIAMI, Feb. 9 — Treasury Secretary John Snow announced action on Monday against 10 Cuban-owned or Cuban-controlled business groups that promote travel and trade with Cuba in violation of a four-decade-long embargo.

Mr. Snow made his announcement before about 100 Cuban-American business executives in Miami, a haven for Cuban exiles who oppose the government of Fidel Castro. The Treasury put the organizations on a list of groups that it is illegal for Americans to deal with.

"Castro's regime has crushed freedom and has held Cuba back from its enormous potential as an economic power and as a friend of the United States," Mr. Snow said.

Nine of the 10 companies listed by the Treasury promote travel to Cuba. One operates a Web site for people in the United States to buy products and have them shipped to family and friends in Cuba.

The organizations are "owned or controlled by the government of Cuba or Cuban nationals," the Treasury said in a statement. Any of their property that falls under United States jurisdiction will be blocked and no American would be able to deal with them legally unless authorized to do so by the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Treasury.

Hard-line Castro foes in the Cuban exile population in Miami generally applauded the crackdown but said they hoped the United States government would do even more to toughen enforcement on companies promoting business in Cuba.

"It's very satisfying to know the government is cutting off funds that are vital to Castro's existence," said Ninoska Perez, a spokeswoman for the Cuban Liberty Council, a Miami-based exile group.

The administration has made no secret of its wish to hasten the departure of Mr. Castro, who seized power in 1959, and the latest action was described as an effort to further that objective "and to hasten the arrival of a new, free, democratic Cuba."

Florida is considered a pivotal state in Mr. Bush's re-election campaign, but Treasury officials said their move was not politically motivated and was just an effort to enforce the law.

A trade embargo against Cuba was imposed 42 years ago, in February 1962, under President Kennedy.

Mr. Bush said in October that he wanted to toughen enforcement of American laws prohibiting business dealings with Cuba, which remains a popular tourist destination for many Americans traveling there from Mexico or Canada.

The latest organizations listed by the Treasury as owned or controlled by Cuba include companies in Cuba itself as well as in Argentina, the Bahamas, Canada, Chile, the Netherlands and Britain.

Those cited are 2904977 Canada Inc. of Montreal, Corporación Cimex S.A. of Havana, Havanatur S.A. of Havana, Havanatur S.A. of Buenos Aires, Havanatur Bahamas Ltd., Havanatur Chile S.A. of Santiago, La Compañía Tiendas Universo S.A. of Cuba, Cubanacan Group of Havana, Cubanacan International B.V. of the Netherlands and Cubanacan U.K. Ltd. of London.