The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuba's state-owned energy company, Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET), as the Trump administration escalates economic pressure on the Cuban government.
According to Antigua News Room, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions in a statement released Thursday, citing Executive Order 14404 as the legal basis for the action. Rubio accused Cuba's leadership of using the country's energy resources to maintain political control and enrich government elites.
Rubio alleged that fuel supplies have been diverted to benefit senior officials, security forces, and government operations, while ordinary Cubans continue to endure fuel shortages and frequent power outages.
"For decades, the regime has stolen and hoarded available fuel," Rubio said, claiming those resources have been used to sustain the government's political agenda while many citizens struggle with blackouts and long waits at fuel stations.
The Secretary of State described the sanctions as part of a broader Trump administration strategy to increase economic pressure on Cuba's Communist government. He added that Washington would continue targeting sectors of the Cuban economy it believes enable the government to maintain power and suppress dissent.
The Cuban government had not issued an immediate response to the sanctions announcement.
