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US imposes fresh sanctions on Cuba
Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has denounced a new round of US sanctions as "illegal and abusive," accusing Washington of violating international law. The measures, signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, target officials in Cuba's energy, defense, financial, and security sectors, as well as individuals accused of human rights abuses or corruption.
Trump vows escalation, threatens military display
Speaking to supporters in Florida late Friday, Trump declared the US would "take over" Cuba "almost immediately," suggesting a show of force. "On the way back from Iran, we'll have one of our big-maybe the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier-the biggest in the world, we'll have that come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they'll say, 'Thank you very much. We give up,'" he said.
Cuban leadership rejects 'collective punishment'
Rodriguez condemned the sanctions as "unilateral coercive measures" that breach the UN Charter, framing them as an attempt to inflict "collective punishment against the Cuban people." On X, he shared footage of protests outside the US Embassy in Havana, where demonstrators marked International Workers' Day by denouncing the US oil blockade. "Our people do not cower," he wrote.
"The blockade and its reinforcement cause so much harm because of the intimidating and arrogant behavior of the world's greatest military power."
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on X
Fuel shortages spark blackouts, economic strain
The US oil blockade has triggered widespread blackouts, fuel shortages, and disruptions to hospitals, public transport, and schools. Since the restrictions were imposed, only one Russian oil tanker has reached Cuba. Trump has also threatened tariffs on goods imported into the US from any country supplying oil to Havana.
Diplomatic tensions persist despite talks
The latest sanctions arrive despite Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirming in March that Havana was negotiating with Washington to improve bilateral relations. The US and Cuba have maintained a fraught relationship since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution overthrew a US-backed government. Economic embargoes have been in place since 1960, with this year marking the 100th anniversary of Castro's birth.
