On Wednesday, Miguel Díaz-Canel attempted to discredit Secretary of State Marco Rubio by bringing up the energy sanctions signed by President Donald Trump, amid Cuba's worsening fuel crisis.
The Cuban leader took to the social platform X to respond to Rubio's statements made on Tuesday at the White House. Rubio claimed there is "no oil blockade against Cuba" and attributed the island's energy collapse to the end of subsidized Venezuelan oil shipments.
"It's surprising that a high-ranking U.S. official publicly states that his government does not enforce an energy blockade against Cuba and is unaware of the provisions in his own president's Executive Order," Díaz-Canel wrote.
He referred to Executive Order 14380, signed by Trump on January 29, 2026, which intensified sanctions against the Cuban regime and imposed secondary measures on countries, shipping companies, and firms supplying oil to the island.
Díaz-Canel further claimed that Washington aims to "destroy" Cuba's economy by investing substantial resources and political capital in this effort, following Rubio's assertion that the economic model and state inefficiency are to blame for the country's deepening crisis.
On February 20, 2026, Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting additional tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), including those linked to Executive Order 14380 against the Cuban government. This decision followed a Supreme Court ruling declaring most tariffs under this law illegal, effectively ending the "energy siege" mentioned by Díaz-Canel.
Temporary Exceptions for Russian Oil Shipments to Cuba
While Trump’s administration indeed tightened energy sanctions against Cuba, in January, the tariffs were removed in February, allowing specific exceptions for the supply of Russian oil to the island amid the electrical crisis.
In April, the Treasury Department extended OFAC's General License 134B, temporarily authorizing certain transactions involving Russian crude loaded prior to sanctions on that country. A previous clause specifically excluded Cuba from these operations.
The Russian tanker Anatoli Kolodkin, sanctioned by the United States, docked in Matanzas on March 30 with approximately 730,000 barrels of crude, marking the first significant fuel shipment to the island in over three months. The White House chose not to block this operation for humanitarian reasons.
"If a country wants to send some oil to Cuba, I have no problem with that," Trump stated at the time.
New Sanctions Against Cuba Signed on May Day
On May 1, 2026, Trump signed another executive order expanding sanctions against the Cuban government, citing its actions as an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and foreign policy.
The document explicitly states its purpose of taking additional measures regarding the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14380 on January 29, 2026 (Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba).
However, terms like oil, fuels, gasoline, diesel, or gas are notably absent from this official document.
"There is no oil blockade against Cuba per se. Cuba used to receive free oil from Venezuela. They were given a significant amount of free oil. They would take about 60% of that oil and resell it for money. It didn't even benefit the people," the Secretary of State said on Tuesday.
He asserted that the only real "blockade" now is Venezuela's decision to stop gifting crude to the island. "These days, with oil prices, nobody is giving away oil, especially not to a failed regime."
These remarks from Marco Rubio prompted a reaction from Díaz-Canel. The Cuban leader blames the United States for Cuba's 24-hour blackouts, which have virtually paralyzed the country's industries. The crisis affects every sector of the economy and society.
The island produces merely about 40,000 barrels of oil daily, far short of the 90,000 to 110,000 barrels needed to meet its demand. With the decline in Venezuelan supplies and the constraints on Russian oil, the regime has faced worsening fuel shortages.
This exchange between Díaz-Canel and Rubio highlights the escalating tensions between Washington and Havana, as the Trump administration maintains its policy of maximum pressure on the Cuban regime.
Key Points in the U.S.-Cuba Energy Sanctions Dispute
What did Executive Order 14380 entail?
Executive Order 14380, signed by Trump in January 2026, imposed stricter sanctions on Cuba and included secondary measures against entities supplying oil to the island.
How did the Supreme Court influence the situation?
The Supreme Court declared most tariffs under the IEEPA illegal, leading to the lifting of additional tariffs linked to Executive Order 14380, effectively ending the "energy siege" against Cuba.
Why is there no oil blockade against Cuba?
Marco Rubio argued that the lack of free oil from Venezuela, rather than U.S. sanctions, is to blame for Cuba's energy issues. He noted that Venezuela's cessation of free oil shipments constitutes the real blockade.