On June 12, the United States imposed fresh sanctions on Cuba, targeting the state-owned oil company Union Cuba-Petroleo. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement describing the firm as a tool of Cuba's 'oppressive security apparatus.'
Rubio charged: 'While Cubans endure fuel shortages and blackouts due to decades of poor infrastructure investment, communist leaders have diverted energy resources for personal gain.' He also accused the Castro family, which ruled Cuba for decades, of profiting from the nation's oil. According to Rubio, Union Cuba-Petroleo has 'illegally expropriated' property from US owners for years.
The new sanctions not only freeze Union Cuba-Petroleo's assets in the US but also prohibit any entity operating in the US from doing business with the company. This is expected to worsen Cuba's energy crisis, as the island depends on oil imports to run its aging power grid and meet daily needs.
Since January 2026, President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on Cuba's communist government, first cutting off energy exports from Venezuela and then threatening tariffs on any country shipping oil to Cuba. As a result, only one Russian tanker has docked in Cuba since late January. Blackouts have increased, including two nationwide grid failures in March.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk warned that the sanctions are causing 'severe consequences' for Cubans, with children dying from a lack of medical equipment and medicines. Meanwhile, the Trump administration blames the Cuban government for the blackouts and has hinted at possible military action to force regime change.
In early June, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Cuba not to make 'a wrong decision' that could create 'a threat the US would have to address.' Earlier, two senior US generals visited the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, including General Francis Donovan and Hegseth himself. Media have noted the presence of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier in the Caribbean. In his June 12 statement, Secretary Rubio emphasized that the US will continue to sanction Cuba until there is a change in government.
