Cuba's government has declared that new sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump amount to "collective punishment" for the Cuban people. The announcement came as an enormous procession on 1 May marched past the American embassy in Havana, vowing to "defend the homeland."
Trump's Executive Order Targets Key Sectors
In an executive order issued on Friday, Trump imposed sanctions on individuals operating in broad sections of the Cuban economy, including energy, defense, mining, financial services, and security. The move aims to increase pressure on Havana after the ousting of Venezuela's leader, Nicolás Maduro, earlier this year.
Cuba's Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, firmly rejected the measures. "We firmly reject the recent unilateral coercive measures adopted by the #UnitedStates government," he posted on X in English, calling them collective punishment of the nation's people.
Economic Hardships Worsen
The economic situation in Cuba has deteriorated since Washington imposed a fuel blockade in January. Only one Russian oil tanker has reached the island since then. Supply shortages and power cuts have become commonplace, and tourism—once Cuba's most lucrative industry—has plummeted.
Trump has previously mused about taking over Cuba, which lies 145 kilometers from Florida and has been under a near-continuous US trade embargo since Fidel Castro's communist revolution in 1959. On Friday, Trump suggested in a Florida speech that the US could launch operations against Cuba, referencing the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
Impact on Foreign Companies
Jeremy Paner, a former sanctions investigator at the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, described the move as the most significant for non-American companies since the embargo began. "Oil and gas, mining companies and banks that have carefully segregated their Cuba operations from the United States are no longer protected," said Paner, now a partner at Hughes Hubbard + Reed.
May Day Rally
The fresh sanctions took effect during 1 May celebrations, with huge crowds in Havana marching to the US embassy under the slogan "Defend the Homeland." The march was led by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and former revolutionary leader Raúl Castro. The day before, Diaz-Canel called on Cubans to mobilize "against the genocidal blockade and the crude imperial threats to our country."
The sanctions come despite recent moves toward dialogue, with senior US officials visiting Cuba for talks in April. The US has long demanded that Cuba open its state-run economy, pay reparations for expropriated properties, and hold "free and fair" elections. Cuba maintains that its socialist government is not up for negotiation.
