Friday, January 30, 2026-President Donald Trump has sharply escalated pressure on Cuba by signing a new executive order that threatens tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to the Caribbean nation. Under the order, the U.S. can impose additional duties on imports from nations directly or indirectly providing oil to Cuba, part of a broader declaration that Cuba’s government poses an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security and foreign policy.
This aggressive move reflects Washington’s intent to squeeze Havana’s already fragile energy lifeline and heighten economic strains amid severe fuel shortages and rolling blackouts on the island.
The policy comes as Cuba faces a deepening energy crisis following the effective cutoff of Venezuelan oil shipments after U.S. forces ousted former President Nicolás Maduro, leaving the island with only days of reserves. Mexico, historically one of Cuba’s key oil partners, has seen shipments fall sharply, and Trump’s tariff threat amplifies pressure on Mexican policymakers and other potential suppliers to halt or reconsider energy exports to Havana.
Cuban officials have sharply condemned the U.S. action as coercive and damaging to essential services like electricity, healthcare, and water supply, warning that further restrictions could have devastating social impacts.
For global markets and regional diplomacy, this directive signals a significant escalation in U.S. economic leverage tactics and could reshape Cuba’s international energy relations. With tariff specifics still to be determined and enforcement likely to be contentious, the threat alone is already influencing decisions by oil exporters and heightening geopolitical tensions.
As Cuba’s energy shortages deepen and allies weigh their options, the world is watching whether this strategy will force political concessions from Havana or further destabilize the fragile economy of the island.
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