Trump Expands Cuba Sanctions, Hits Energy, Finance
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- Trump signed an executive order on May 1, 2026, broadening U.S. sanctions against the Cuban government.
- The order targets any foreign person operating in Cuba’s energy, defence, metals and mining, financial services, or security sectors, and authorizes secondary sanctions for transactions with those targeted.
- Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez condemned the measures as a violation of the UN Charter and “collective punishment” of the Cuban people.
- Jeremy Paner, a former Treasury sanctions investigator, said the sanctions are the most significant for non‑American companies since the original embargo began.
- The administration warned that Cuba provides a permissive environment for hostile foreign intelligence and terrorist operations, linking it to Iran and Hezbollah.
- U.S. officials have previously halted Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatened tariffs on other crude suppliers, contributing to fuel shortages and blackouts on the island.
Why it matters: U.S. companies and foreign firms operating in Cuba’s energy, defence, mining and finance sectors face new legal risk, while the Cuban government confronts heightened economic pressure and potential isolation, as the sanctions also threaten allies linked to Iran and Hezbollah.
