Cuba faces energy blockade following U.S. executive orders

Cuba has faced over 200 days of an energy blockade following executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump. On January 29, 2026, Trump declared Cuba an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy’ of the United States, enabling the imposition of tariffs on any nation attempting to sell oil to the island.

This energy siege is distinct from the long-standing economic, commercial, and financial blockade established in 1962. The current measures involve the deliberate interruption of fuel flows, which impacts critical infrastructure including hospitals, water purification plants, food refrigeration, transportation, and schools.

A subsequent executive order signed on May 1 further internationalized these restrictions by expanding sanctions to financial entities and individuals operating in vital sectors of the Cuban economy.