The United States has declared a national security emergency over the threat posed by Cuba, according to an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump and published by the White House.
In addition, the United States will now be able to impose additional tariffs on imports from any country that directly or indirectly supplies oil to Cuba.
The president justified this decision by arguing that the Cuban government has taken “extraordinary measures“ that harm and threaten the United States. Specifically, the document states that Cuban authorities are collaborating with countries and groups hostile to the United States, including Russia, China, Iran, as well as Hamas and Hezbollah.
„In order to address the national emergency, I find it necessary and appropriate to establish a tariff system as described below. Under this system, an additional ad valorem duty may be imposed on imports of goods that are products of a foreign country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise supplies petroleum to Cuba,“ Trump wrote.
"Additional duties, calculated on the basis of an assessment of value, could be imposed on imports of goods produced by countries that directly or indirectly sell petroleum to Cuba or that supply Cuba with petroleum", the order published by the White House said, BTA reported.
This decision aims to further increase pressure on the island, ruled by a communist regime, and is based on an assessment of "the exceptional threat that Cuba poses to the national security of the United States", in connection with which a "state of emergency has been declared", the order noted.
Washington accuses the Cuban authorities of supporting a number of countries, international terrorist organizations and hostile to the US players on the global stage, such as Russia, China, Iran, “Hamas“ and “Hezbollah“. Cuba is also accused of “destabilizing the region through migration and violence“, while “spreading its communist ideas, programs and practices“.
The US president recently made it clear to Havana that for Cuba “there will be no more oil“ without an “agreement“ with the authorities.
Donald Trump placed under US control the oil sector of Venezuela, which since the beginning of the 21st century has been the main supplier of oil to Cuba, which was its ally.
The new threat from the Republican leader comes at a time when the island is already in a difficult energy situation. Cuba, which has been under a US embargo since 1962, has been experiencing a serious fuel shortage for the past three years, which has directly affected electricity production. According to data collected and analyzed by Agence France-Presse, the country will be able to cover only about half of its electricity needs by 2025.
Mexico is one of the few countries that still supplies crude oil to Cuba. The country's President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that she remains "in solidarity" with the island, denying media reports that her government has decided to cut off oil supplies.