US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order paving the way for tariffs to be imposed on goods from countries providing oil to Cuba, citing the island nation's alleged ties to hostile powers such as Russia, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
The move represents a significant escalation in US pressure on the communist government, which has been facing severe economic sanctions since the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife earlier this year. The two were whisked away to New York to face federal drug-trafficking charges under US pressure.
The executive order declares a national emergency, allowing the US secretaries of state and commerce to assess tariffs against countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba. However, it does not specify what tariff rates would be imposed on violating its new policy.
Cuba's economy is heavily reliant on imports, with an $85 billion GDP that is roughly comparable to that of Rhode Island. The island nation has struggled to cope with limited oil supplies, having only 15-20 days' worth in inventory, according to a report from the Financial Times.
Tourist visits have plummeted in recent months as a result of the economic turmoil and Trump's efforts to topple the communist government. Cuba's ruling Communist Party has been in power for six decades.
The move comes after weeks of pressure on Mexico, which has been a major oil supplier to Cuba, providing 20,000 barrels per day. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has insisted that her country will continue to provide humanitarian aid, despite pausing oil shipments temporarily.
Despite this, the US has set its sights on imposing tariffs on goods from countries providing oil to Cuba, citing national security and foreign policy concerns. The White House claims that these actions constitute an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to US interests, requiring immediate response.
The move represents a significant escalation in US pressure on the communist government, which has been facing severe economic sanctions since the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife earlier this year. The two were whisked away to New York to face federal drug-trafficking charges under US pressure.
The executive order declares a national emergency, allowing the US secretaries of state and commerce to assess tariffs against countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba. However, it does not specify what tariff rates would be imposed on violating its new policy.
Cuba's economy is heavily reliant on imports, with an $85 billion GDP that is roughly comparable to that of Rhode Island. The island nation has struggled to cope with limited oil supplies, having only 15-20 days' worth in inventory, according to a report from the Financial Times.
Tourist visits have plummeted in recent months as a result of the economic turmoil and Trump's efforts to topple the communist government. Cuba's ruling Communist Party has been in power for six decades.
The move comes after weeks of pressure on Mexico, which has been a major oil supplier to Cuba, providing 20,000 barrels per day. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has insisted that her country will continue to provide humanitarian aid, despite pausing oil shipments temporarily.
Despite this, the US has set its sights on imposing tariffs on goods from countries providing oil to Cuba, citing national security and foreign policy concerns. The White House claims that these actions constitute an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to US interests, requiring immediate response.
I mean, I get it, the US wants to put pressure on them, but this feels like a bit of overkill, right? They're already struggling economically and now they've got 15-20 days' worth of oil? That's not exactly building up a war chest. And what's with these tarifs? Is the US really gonna cut off Cuba's access to oil just because they don't totally agree with their government? It feels like they're messing with a country that's already super vulnerable... 
they're already strugglin' with limited oil supplies & now trump's tryin to add more stress? 85 billion GDP is like a tiny island nation or somethin', how r u sposed to cope w/ tariffs? 
seems like usa's got its eyes on cuba & it's not lookin good 
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. I mean, can't we all just get along? 
They're basically strangling the country's economy with these tariffs, and it's going to have a ripple effect on everyone involved. 15-20 days' worth of oil supplies? That's not exactly enough to keep the lights on for too long 
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that Cuba supposedly has ties to? It just seems like a convenient excuse to me 
. I'm no expert, but it looks like the US is playing politics as usual 
. Cuba's economy may be struggling, but we shouldn't forget they've been through some tough times before and come out stronger 
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. These tariffs aren't going to solve anything, just make life harder for the Cuban people 
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. Mexico's like "hey, we got your back" and still wanna provide humanitarian aid... kudos to them 
! But US is all like "nope, gotta impose tariffs"... why?! 
We can always make time for tariffs, but what about the people who need help? The tourists who are struggling to visit, the families who can't afford basic necessities because of limited oil supplies... how do we weigh those against some national security concerns?
. I mean, what if this ends up causing more harm than good? What if it's just a clever way to mask our own internal issues? We need to take a step back and think about the real consequences of our actions... and not just react based on fear 
it's like, super escalation of pressure on the communist government... and honestly, it feels like a huge risk to their economy 
i mean, tourism has already plummeted in recent months as a result of the economic turmoil 
. I'm not saying we should be best buds with the Cuban government or anything, but can't we find a way to do business that doesn't involve all this drama? 
what about the people living in cuba, wont they suffer from these economic sanctions 
hasnt he learned anything from previous attempts at isolation? 
Like, dude, they're not even close to being a real threat. And what's with this national emergency thingy? 
. But what's the end goal here? Is this just another example of the US trying to play global police? 
. One thing's for sure, though: it's going to have some ripple effects on the global economy 
. I think the US should try to find some middle ground here... maybe they could negotiate with Cuba and Mexico to get more cooperation on security and stuff, rather than just slapping tariffs on everything 
. And what about humanitarian aid? The US is talking about imposing tariffs on oil suppliers, but what about the people who are already suffering? It's a really tough balance to strike here 