"Zero oil, zero money": US activates emergency powers against Cuba and its trade partners
U.S. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Thursday, January 29, citing "threats to national security and foreign policy" posed by the Cuban government.
The executive order authorizes the United States to impose additional tariffs on any nation that sells or supplies oil to Cuba, whether directly or indirectly.
Economic sanctions and global impact
The White House stated the measures aim to protect U.S. interests from "hostile actions" by the Havana regime. This shift signals a move toward secondary sanctions, pressuring third-party countries to cease energy cooperation with the island.
The administration intends to hold Havana accountable for supporting "hostile forces" and "regional instability." According to the official document, Cuba’s actions are viewed as a direct threat to U.S. hemispheric security.
Russian influence and human rights
Washington further alleged that Cuba hosts Russia’s largest electronic intelligence-gathering facility outside Russian borders. The administration also accused Havana of harboring transnational terrorist groups and committing human rights abuses against political dissidents.
Reuters reports that this escalation is part of a broader strategy to reassert U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere. The rhetoric from the Trump administration has intensified significantly over the past several weeks.
Havana’s defiance
The move follows a January 11 post on Truth Social, where President Trump warned that "no more oil or money will reach Cuba—zero." He urged the regime to "make a deal" or face total isolation.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez firmly rejected the claims. He stated that Cuba has never received financial compensation for "security services" provided to other nations, specifically denying links to Venezuelan oil-for-security swaps.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel echoed this sentiment on X, describing Cuba as a "free, independent, and sovereign nation." He dismissed the U.S. actions as an attempt to turn human lives into business transactions.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
