The President of the United States, Donald Trump, escalated his offensive against the administration of Miguel Díaz-Canel this Thursday by announcing the imposition of punitive tariffs on any country that sells oil to Cuba. The White House justified the measure as a necessary action to protect 'national security' against what it described as the 'malign influence' of the island in the hemisphere. The executive order establishes a new tariff system that penalizes imports from nations that provide crude to the largest of the Antilles, either directly or indirectly. Trump stated that Cuba is 'on the brink of collapse' and that his administration seeks to cut off the vital energy supply the country receives, primarily from Venezuela. The presidential decree accuses the Cuban government of harboring military and intelligence capabilities of adversarial powers, as well as providing refuge to extremist groups. Washington denounced that Cuba hosts Russia's largest signals intelligence facility outside its territory, dedicated to stealing sensitive information from the U.S. 'Cuba cannot survive without Venezuelan oil. It is a nation that is very close to collapse,' Trump declared to the press this Friday. The warning has generated a wave of uncertainty in the business and diplomatic sector in Havana. According to reports from the EFE agency, several foreign companies have already begun to review their evacuation plans amid fears of a humanitarian crisis or direct intervention. The measure adds to the travel restrictions imposed in mid-2025 and to the designation of Cuba as a 'state sponsor of terrorism.' With this new energy blockade, the Trump administration seeks to force a regime change, taking advantage of the extreme economic fragility the island is going through. The official communication points to the island for offering 'safe haven' to organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. Trump also accused the regime of torturing opponents, persecuting religious believers, and profiting from the misery of the Cuban people to spread communist ideology in the region.
