In an executive order signed on Thursday, US President Donald Trump increased pressure on the communist island country by threatening to levy further taxes on nations that export oil to Cuba.
“Imports of goods that are products of a foreign country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba may be subject to an additional ad valorem (estimated value) duty,” the White House executive order stated in part.
The order describes the Cuban regime as a “extraordinary threat” to US national security and makes use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
“The regime aligns itself with — and provides support for – numerous hostile countries, transnational terrorist groups, and malign actors adverse to the United States,” such as the militant organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as China, Iran, and Russia.
Prior to recently, the majority of Cuba’s oil came from Venezuela. Cuba has been subject to a US embargo since 1962.
However, Trump has taken control of Venezuela’s oil industry since the dictatorial president Nicolas Maduro was overthrown, and he has promised to halt oil exports to Cuba without a deal.
In recent years, the Caribbean island has seen significant fuel shortages that have affected its electricity grid and caused extensive blackouts for its citizens.
Mexico, another Latin American nation, still supplies oil to Cuba; just this week, President Claudia Sheinbaum refuted claims that she had stopped sending oil to Havana.
