Trump administration intensifies pressure on Cuba amid severe energy crisis and blockade

May 20, 2026, 6:48:32 PM UTC(4 hours ago)

Impact: Medium

Affected Assets

President Donald Trump declared that he expects to have the honor of taking Cuba and stated that he can do anything he wants with the island nation
The United States implemented an effective oil blockade on Cuba by cutting off Venezuelan oil shipments and threatening tariffs on other nations supplying fuel to the island
Under intense economic pressure and island-wide blackouts, the Cuban government announced the release of over 2,000 prisoners in April 2026
U.S. officials visited Havana to lay out proposals for drastic economic and political reforms, including privatization of state-run businesses and free elections
The Trump administration temporarily softened its stance by allowing a sanctioned Russian tanker to deliver fuel to Cuba for humanitarian reasons

TRUMP: WE ARE FREEING UP CUBA