For the first time since the 1962 Missile Crisis, the United States has again blocked oil tankers bound for Cuba — and the island, which needs eight shipments per month, has received only one in the last five.

Written by Douglas Avila Published on 04/05/2026 at 18:38 Updated on 04/05/2026 at 18:39

For the first time since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States has once again blocked the path of oil to Cuba. This characterization comes from the New York Times, in a report published on February 20, 2026.

Since Executive Order 14380, signed by Donald Trump on January 29 of this year, the island, which needs eight fuel shipments per month, has received only one in five months. This data comes from Cuba’s Electric Union (UNE).

Executive Order 14380 created a tariff mechanism against any country that sends oil to Cuba — including the Mexican state-owned Pemex, the island’s main supplier in 2025. The result was swift: a record electricity deficit of 1,440 megawatts, three national blackouts in March, and Washington’s first economic offensive against Havana in 64 years.

Executive Order 14380 and the silent mechanism of the blockade

The decree was signed by Donald Trump on January 29, 2026, and came into effect one day later. The text is

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For the first time since the 1962 Missile Crisis, the United States has again blocked oil tankers bound for Cuba — and the island, which needs eight shipments per month, has received only one in the last five.

Executive Order 14380 and the silent mechanism of the blockade

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