U.S. President Donald Trump on January 29 signed an executive order threatening new tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, significantly escalating economic pressure against the Communist‑run island. The move, issued under a national emergency declaration, authorizes U.S. authorities to impose additional duties on imports from nations that directly or indirectly provide oil to Havana, though it did not specify tariff rates or identify targeted countries.
The White House framed the measure as a tool to counter what it characterizes as threats from the Cuban government to U.S. national security and foreign policy, giving the Secretaries of State and Commerce powers to determine how and when tariffs would be levied. Trump reiterated his longstanding criticism of Cuba’s leadership and urged allies to cut ties with the regime.
Cuban state‑run media responded swiftly and angrily, warning that the order could paralyze essential services across the island, which is already mired in a severe economic crisis. Officials in Havana claimed the move threatened electricity generation, agriculture, water supplies and health services, and accused Washington of pursuing policies tantamount to genocide against the Cuban people. “All spheres of life will be suffocated by the U.S. government,” a Cuban government statement said.
The pressure campaign follows a dramatic regional shift after U.S. military forces captured Venezuela’s ousted president, Nicolás Maduro, earlier in January — effectively cutting off Cuba’s largest historical source of oil. With Venezuelan shipments halted, Mexico became Cuba’s primary supplier, but Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said decisions on oil shipments are sovereign and has indicated her government is reassessing support amid fears of U.S. reprisals.
Trump — who has frequently used tariff threats as a diplomatic lever during his second term — asserted that “Cuba will be failing pretty soon,” and has suggested Havana should strike a deal with the United States. Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel has rejected that premise, saying Washington lacks the moral authority to force a deal and decrying the threats as coercive.
The policy shift adds to longstanding tensions between Washington and Havana, raising concerns about further destabilization in the Caribbean and wider geopolitical ramifications.
