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Cuba has strongly criticized a new executive order signed by United States President Donald Trump that threatens to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to the Caribbean nation, describing the move as an escalation of long-standing economic pressure.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez condemned the order as what he called a deliberate and hostile action against the Cuban people. Writing on X, Rodríguez said the policy amounted to a “brutal act of aggression” and accused Washington of deliberately worsening living conditions on the island. He argued that Cubans have already endured more than six decades of economic restrictions and warned that the latest measure would deepen hardship.
The comments followed Trump’s decision to authorise potential trade penalties against third countries involved in oil sales to Cuba. The executive order signals an intention to tighten pressure on Havana but leaves key details unresolved. It does not outline the scale of the proposed tariffs or identify which countries could be affected, instead granting the Secretary of Commerce authority to determine the scope and implementation.
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Cuba has been subject to a comprehensive US economic embargo since 1962, a policy that has shaped its trade relationships and energy supplies for decades. In recent years, the island has relied heavily on oil shipments from Venezuela to meet its energy needs.
That supply line has come under strain as Washington intensified measures against Caracas, including actions aimed at limiting Venezuela’s control over its oil exports. The shift has added further pressure to Cuba’s already fragile energy sector.
Havana argues that the new order reinforces a strategy designed to isolate the country economically and politically. Cuban officials say such policies undermine international cooperation and punish ordinary citizens rather than the government, while Washington maintains that increased pressure is necessary to challenge the island’s political system.
