On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET), the state-run company overseeing the importation, refining, and distribution of fuel in Cuba. These measures fall under Executive Order 14404, signed by President Trump on May 1, 2026.
In his official statement, Rubio directly accused the Cuban regime's leadership of turning energy into a tool for oppression and personal gain. "While the Cuban people endure blackouts and wait weeks to fill up their gas tanks, the Castro family flies around in private jets," he asserted.
Rubio elaborated on how the regime has misappropriated energy resources for its own benefit. "The regime has hoarded and diverted available fuel for the Castro's private jet, security forces used to suppress the Cuban people, keeping empty tourist hotels lit, and transporting people for fake protests and political maneuvers," he detailed.
Energy as a Tool of Oppression
Labeling the regime's actions as a "cleptocracy," Rubio emphasized that "Cuba's communist elites have weaponized energy as a means of social control and kleptocratic profit." The CUPET designation under Section 2(a)(i)(A) of EO 14404 blocks all its assets and interests in the U.S., prohibiting any transactions between U.S. individuals or companies and the entity.
The sanction also effectively ends a controversial agreement between Florida-based Vanguard Energy and a Cuban import agency to lease CUPET facilities and ship over 250,000 barrels of gasoline and diesel per trip, which would have been the largest U.S. fuel shipment to Cuba since the Eisenhower era.
Rising Tensions and Sanctions
On Wednesday, the State Department had already warned that the sanctions were still in place and that the operation had not been authorized. Rubio concluded his statement with a direct message: "President Trump envisions a new future for the Cuban people with greater freedom and economic and political opportunities. Until then, we will continue to target the communist regime's ability to use its energy trade to advance their corrupt agenda and violently repress the Cuban people."
This move against CUPET is part of an ongoing escalation of pressure on the regime's economic apparatus. Since January, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against Cuba. On May 7, Rubio sanctioned GAESA, the regime's military-industrial conglomerate, and on June 4, he directly sanctioned Díaz-Canel, Lis Cuesta Peraza, Alejandro Castro Espín, and his son Raúl Alejandro Castro Calis, among others.
Documented Luxury Amidst Crisis
Rubio's accusations regarding the use of private jets are supported by documented evidence: journalistic investigations revealed that Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," Raúl Castro's grandson, made at least 25 trips to Panama between 2024 and 2025 on aircraft linked to GAESA, including a Dassault Falcon 900EX.
The sanctions come at a time of unprecedented energy crisis in Cuba. On May 14, the electricity deficit reached a record 2,174 MW, with only 976 MW available against a demand of 3,150 MW, leading to blackouts lasting 20 to 24 hours daily in several provinces.
Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy admitted in May that the country had "absolutely no fuel, no diesel, only accompanying gas." This crisis has sparked an unprecedented wave of protests: the Cuban Conflict Observatory recorded 1,311 demonstrations in May 2026 alone, marking the highest level of dissent since July 11, 2021.
Understanding the Cuban Energy Crisis and Sanctions
What are the sanctions against CUPET?
The sanctions against CUPET block all its assets and interests in the United States, prohibiting any transactions between U.S. individuals or companies with the entity, as it operates in the Cuban energy sector.
How has the Cuban regime used energy as a tool of control?
The Cuban regime has reportedly diverted energy resources for personal and political gain, using them for private jets, security forces to suppress dissent, and maintaining infrastructure for political purposes.
What evidence supports accusations of luxury travel by the Castro family?
Investigations have documented that Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro made numerous trips to Panama in aircraft linked to GAESA, including a Dassault Falcon 900EX, highlighting a pattern of luxurious travel.