The Trump administration is considering new measures against Cuba, including a complete blockade on the country’s oil imports, according to a report by Politico, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Preventing crude oil shipments to the island would represent a further escalation beyond Trump’s recent declaration that the U.S. would stop Cuba’s oil imports from Venezuela, which had been the country’s primary supplier.
The move has been advocated by certain critics of the Cuban government within the administration and has received support from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While no decision has been made, the proposal could be included among a range of potential measures presented to President Donald Trump aimed at bringing an end to Cuba’s communist regime.
According to the source, the action would be supported by the 1994 LIBERTAD Act, also known as the Helms-Burton Act, which codifies the U.S. embargo on trade and financial transactions with Cuba. However, a complete blockade of oil imports could trigger a humanitarian crisis, a concern that has prompted some officials within the administration to push back.
Cuba depends on imported oil for about 60% of its supply, according to figures from the International Energy Agency. The country had long relied on Venezuela to meet the demand, but that source declined after the Trump administration began seizing sanctioned shipments. Following this, Mexico has emerged as Cuba’s main oil supplier, although Venezuelan shipments had been the dominant source.
Since the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the administration has shifted its focus to Cuba, asserting that the island’s economy is at its most vulnerable point.
In early January, Trump also urged Cuba to strike a deal with the United States, warning that the supply of Venezuelan oil and funds to Havana would be halted.
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