The president Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that toughens US sanctions against Cubaextending penalties against the island’s regime and foreign companies that do business with it.
According to specialists on the subject, The order is based on the sanctions introduced at the beginning of 2026 and points out that Cuba continues to be a priority for the republican governmenteven as the US grapples with other international conflicts in Iran, among others.
The president’s order is directed at Cuban officials, people accused of corruption and people who work in the country’s energy, defense or financial services sectors. He doesn’t mention anyone in particular.
In addition, These measures increase pressure on foreign financial institutions by threatening their access to US markets if they continue to collaborate with Cuban entities.. The administration says the sanctions also seek to discourage further involvement by foreign adversaries.
The professor of Cuban studies at the University of Miami, Andy Gómez, assured that the executive order has broader geopolitical implications. He added that it can be interpreted as a warning to countries like Russia and China to keep their distance.
“This is the hidden message behind what has been written, and this is how I interpret it,” he said.
The aforementioned measures come after months of intense pressure on Cuba by the Trump administration, which has used the threat of high tariffs to largely block the shipment of oil to Cuba. by other nations, causing serious energy shortages
Trump has not ruled out some type of military action in Cuba, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the island needs to implement major economic and political reforms, CBS Info reported.
The White House leader has suggested the possibility of “conquering” Cuba at various times, most recently on Friday, when he said in a speech that he plans to head to Cuba after ending the war with Iran.
“On the way back from Iran,” he said, drawing laughter, “maybe the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the largest in the world, will come up, stop about 330 feet off the coast, and they’ll say, ‘Thank you very much, we surrender.’”
For its part, Miguel Díaz-Canel, leader of the Cuban regime, condemned the tightening of sanctions in X, calling them “coercive measures” designed to intimidate his country.
Today, the #US government has announced new coercive measures that reinforce the brutal #GenocidalBlockade, as evidence of its current poverty and contempt for the sensitivity and common sense of Americans and the entire international community.
Nobody honest can…
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) May 2, 2026
The tightening of sanctions came after Raúl Castro, former president, made a rare public appearance on Friday at Cuba’s May Day parade. According to Gómez, the measure can be interpreted as a calculated effort to project strength.
“We are talking about a man who is going to turn 95,” Gómez explained. “That sends the message that he is still the one making the decisions.”
According to the professor, The sanctions also include an implicit warning about migration. I assert that the government is making it clear to Cuban leaders that it will not tolerate mass migration to the United States.
In this sense, Executive order could have significant consequences for foreign bankswho risk losing access to the US financial system if they do business with the Cuban government.
Carlos Giménez, representative of South Florida, applauded the sanctions.
“The new sanctions against the Cuban regime are necessary to attack its security apparatus, the machinery that imprisons political prisoners and oppresses its people,” said the Republican representative. “Anyone who supports this tyranny will face serious consequences. We must end this repressive regime that continues to represent a serious threat to our national security. The days of impunity are over. Freedom and our security are non-negotiable.”
In South Florida, where Cuban Americans closely follow US policy towards the island, the announcement reinforces concerns that have been arising for some time.
Gómez explained that frustration has been increasing within the Cuban-American community as the United States’ attention has focused on conflicts abroad.
“This measure shows Cuba that it has not been forgotten“said Gómez. “Despite other international priorities, the issue of Cuba is still present.”
Keep reading:
• China responds to Rubio and defends its cooperation with Cuba, “legitimate and transparent”
• Rubio accuses Cuba of allowing US adversaries to carry out intelligence work on the island
• Rubio accuses Cuba of allowing US adversaries to carry out intelligence work on the island