Trump administration mulls oil blockade of Cuba - Politico
In December, the U.S. began detaining under-sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela
Trump administration allows the option of a naval blockade of Cuba, Politico claims / Photo: Shutterstock.com/Rawpixel.com
The administration of US President Donald Trump is exploring tactics to push Cuba toward regime change, including a full blockade of oil supplies to the island. Politico wrote about this, citing three sources.
Details
According to two interlocutors of the publication, some opponents of the Cuban authorities in the U.S. administration are in favor of escalation, the idea is supported by Secretary of State Mark Rubio. Others oppose the initiative, believing that the embargo could provoke a humanitarian crisis, according to Politico. No decisions have been made yet, but the embargo option may be on the list of possible actions to be presented to Trump, the publication's three sources said.
Preventing Cuba from importing oil would be the next step compared to Trump's statements that the U.S. would stop shipments from Venezuela, which provided Cuba with raw materials and currency, Politico wrote. The loss of Venezuelan oil has already hurt Cuba's already struggling economy, the publication added.
The Cuban Embassy in Washington did not respond to Politico's request for comment. A White House spokesman did not respond to the publication's question whether the administration is considering a full blockade of oil supplies to Cuba.
Context
Cuba closes about 60% of its oil needs with imports, Politico cited data from the International Energy Agency. Instead of Venezuela, Mexico has become the island's main supplier, but its raw materials are unlikely to eliminate the island's growing energy shortage, Politico writes.
In December 2025, the U.S. imposed a blockade on unsanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela. Since then, the U.S. Coast Guard has detained several vessels. On the night of January 2 to 3, the U.S. conducted a military operation in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his removal to the United States.
Trump then declared Washington's intention to govern Venezuela until the U.S. could conduct a "safe, properly organized and thoughtful transfer [of power]." Venezuelan authorities then agreed to hand over 30 to 50 million barrels of "high quality" oil to the U.S., which cannot be exported due to Washington's sanctions, Trump also revealed.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
