{"id":2572154,"date":"2026-02-21T06:23:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T11:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-trumps-efforts-to-pressure-cubas-communist-regime-out\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T06:27:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T11:27:57","slug":"inside-trumps-efforts-to-pressure-cubas-communist-regime-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-trumps-efforts-to-pressure-cubas-communist-regime-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Trump&#8217;s efforts to pressure Cuba&#8217;s communist regime out"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Finside-trumps-efforts-to-pressure-cubas-communist-regime-out%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2572154&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>&#8211; The Trump governance has intensified pressure on Cuba with sweeping sanctions, a fuel embargo, and threats of tariffs on oil-supplying countries, as part of a broader strategy to push regime change.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; As the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, Cuba\u2019s oil lifeline has shifted toward Mexico and venezuela; Mexico\u2019s president says the country has no plan to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >resume shipments amid tariff threats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; U.S. officials describe the policy as a way to isolate Venezuela and influence its policy or regime, with discussions of selling Venezuelan oil and using the proceeds to advance U.S. goals.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Fuel shortages have caused blackouts, rising food prices, and disruptions to healthcare and waste disposal; the United Nations has condemned the embargo as a serious violation of international law and criticized its humanitarian impact.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Russia has publicly defended Cuba,but its ability to assist is hampered by the war in Ukraine; reports of behind-the-scenes contact with Raul Castro\u2019s grandson have circulated,though Cuba denies high-level talks with the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The White House argues the embargo remains necessary to counter Cuba\u2019s regime, while cuba\u2019s government asserts there has been no meaningful dialog with Washington.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Inside the Trump administration&rsquo;s efforts to pressure Cuba&rsquo;s communist regime out<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2511780\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a> has escalated its pressure against Cuba&rsquo;s communist government, curbing oil supplies and threatening tariffs on countries that continue to ship fuel to the island as part of an effort to force regime change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Since the United States captured former <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/venezuela\/\">Venezuelan<\/a> dictator Nicolas Maduro in January, the Trump administration has turned its focus on Cuba. <\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4466081\/energy-commerce-republicans-investigate-dc-water-potomac-river-sewage-spill\/\">Energy and Commerce Republicans investigating DC Water over Potomac River sewage spill<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4463358\/chris-wright-iea-ditch-net-zero-climate-agenda\/\">Chris Wright gives IEA one year to ditch &#8216;net-zero&#8217; climate agenda&nbsp;or lose US<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4460244\/electricity-prices-energy-midterms\/\">Rising electricity prices key to midterm elections but no immediate fix ready<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The relationship between <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/cuba\/\">Cuba<\/a> and the United States has been difficult for nearly seven decades, following Fidel Castro&rsquo;s communist revolution in 1959.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The slate of punitive trade policies adopted to punish the toppling of the U.S.-backed government by Castro has fluctuated diplomatic relations over the decades.<\/p>\n<p>Presidents <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\">Barack Obama<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\">Joe Biden<\/a> made significant efforts to relax trade sanctions against Cuba, hoping to coax the declining island into better relations with the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>, however, has escalated trade penalties against the Cuban government, branding the entire island a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-pompeo-warns-senate-candidate-dr-oz-could-be-national-security-threat-over-turkish-ties\/\" title=\"Mike Pompeo Warns Senate Candidate Dr. Oz Could Be National Security Threat Over Turkish Ties\">national security threat due<\/a> to alleged links to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/drug-cartels\/\">drug cartels<\/a>, terrorist groups, and hostile intelligence agencies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>His administration is now twisting the arm of the Cuban regime in ways that seem impossible for it to escape without entirely undercutting its own legitimacy.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2026\/01\/addressing-threats-to-the-united-states-by-the-government-of-cuba\/\">imposed sweeping sanctions<\/a> that not only uphold fuel embargoes but also implement tariffs against foreign governments supplying oil to the island.<\/p>\n<p>This move comes as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mexico\/\">Mexico<\/a> became Cuba&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oil\/\">main source of oil<\/a> following the capture of Maduro, which stopped shipments of Venezuelan oil to Havana.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Last year, Venezuela was Cuba&rsquo;s largest <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/clock-ticks-cuba-trump-cuts-off-venezuelan-oil-2026-01-13\/\">oil supplier<\/a>, providing 26,500 barrels per day, followed by Mexico, with some 5,000 bpd.<\/p>\n<p>But Leftist Mexican President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/claudia-sheinbaum\/\">Claudia Sheinbaum<\/a> announced earlier this month that her country has no plans to resume oil shipments to Cuba, essentially buckling under Trump&rsquo;s tariff threats.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s currently on hold, and we are seeking to avoid any negative impact on Mexico and, as always, to find the best diplomatic solution for Cuba to receive the fuel,&rdquo; Sheinbaum said at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Jeff Vaden, <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">a partner at Bracewell, told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;that sanctions and export controls are common tools used across many administrations to advance<\/span> U.S. strategic goals.<\/p>\n<p>Still, Vaden said the pressure on Cuba could be part of a broader U.S. strategy, particularly as it relates to changing Venezuela&rsquo;s government.<\/p>\n<p>He noted that Cuba and Venezuela have maintained a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-has-yet-to-call-israels-netanyahu\/\" title=\"Biden Has Yet To Call Israel\u2019s Netanyahu\">long-standing relationship<\/a> in areas such as intelligence and training. He added that Cuban officials have held senior positions within Venezuela&rsquo;s intelligence community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Vaden said the administration&rsquo;s approach, in part, is &ldquo;a way to isolate Venezuela, to try to affect change in either policy or regime change in Venezuela.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Venezuela has, obviously, the largest reserve of oil in the world. It sends all to Cuba in exchange for things like medical doctors, training, and intelligence support. So if you can cut off that flow to Cuba, not only does it hurt Cuba on the commodity side, but it hurts Venezuela as far as getting the aid assistance from Cuba that comes back,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4456884\/fixing-venezuela-oil-chris-wright-diplomatic-role\/\">plans<\/a> to sell Venezuelan oil and control the proceeds.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless, the fuel shortage in Cuba has become dire, leading to blackouts across the country, including in the capital, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/havana\/\">Havana<\/a>, and affecting food prices and transportation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/sustainability\/climate-energy\/cubas-havana-piles-with-trash-us-chokehold-halts-garbage-trucks-2026-02-16\/\">reported<\/a> earlier this week that trash has begun to pile up in Havana as trash trucks lack fuel to operate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Paolo Spandoni, an associate professor at Augusta University, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that &ldquo;Cuba is going toward a situation of collapse, because definitely there&rsquo;s not much oil left, by any account.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Spandoni noted that the Cuban economy was in crisis even before these latest developments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>He added that Cuba produces less than half of the oil it needs to generate electricity, and that its energy infrastructure is aging. Cuba has promoted a renewable energy program, but it is still far from meeting the country&rsquo;s needs.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why, for the time being, they were living off supplies coming from Venezuela, from Mexico, and other countries, trying to generate electricity,&rdquo; Spandoni said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-nations\/\">United Nations<\/a> has denounced the consequences of the fuel shortage stemming from these policies, which have compromised everything from food production to medical care to waste disposal.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The U.S. executive order imposing a fuel blockade on Cuba is a serious violation of international law and a grave threat to a democratic and equitable international order,&rdquo; experts at the United Nations Office of Human Rights <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/press-releases\/2026\/02\/un-experts-condemn-us-executive-order-imposing-fuel-blockade-cuba\">proclaimed<\/a> last week.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately for Cuba, its diplomatic allies cannot provide the oil reserves needed to keep the island running. And aside from the UN, its strongest advocates are not of the type that will convince the Trump administration that it poses no threat to American interests.<\/p>\n<p>The Kremlin is among Havana&rsquo;s most outspoken defenders, repeatedly issuing statements denouncing the U.S. pressure as illegitimate and counter to the island&rsquo;s right of self-determination.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is a special period, with new sanctions. You know how we feel about this. We do not accept anything like this,&rdquo; Russian President Vladimir Putin <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/amp\/2026\/02\/19\/cuba-fuel-crisis-havana-russia-putin-us-trump.html\">told<\/a> Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodr&iacute;guez Parrilla.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have always been on Cuba&rsquo;s side in its struggle for independence, for the right to follow its own path of development, and we have always supported the Cuban people,&rdquo; the Russian leader continued. &ldquo;We know how difficult these past decades have been for the Cuban people as they have fought for the right to live by their own rules and defend their national interests.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Russia is not in the best position to aid Cuba at the moment, as its yearslong invasion of Ukraine continues to eat up national resources and energy output.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Additionally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/02\/18\/marco-rubio-cuba-secret-talks\">rumored<\/a>&nbsp;to be making behind-the-scenes contact with Ra&uacute;l Guillermo Rodr&iacute;guez Castro, the grandson of Ra&uacute;l Castro, a Cuban general, former national leader, and brother of Fidel Castro.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Contact with the younger Ra&uacute;l Castro, who does not hold any formal leadership position, seems to signal belief that his grandfather still holds significant sway post-retirement.<\/p>\n<p>It would be a surprising development, given that the regime maintains there has been no communication with U.S. leadership, except for occasional &ldquo;exchanges of messages.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is no <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-reporter-grills-psaki-on-france-feeling-betrayed-over-deal-biden-made\/\" title=\"WATCH: Reporter Grills Psaki On France Feeling Betrayed Over Deal Biden Made\">high-level dialogue<\/a> between the government of the United States and Cuba,&rdquo; the regime has stated. &ldquo;There is not even dialogue at an intermediate level.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4461430\/environmental-health-groups-sue-epa-rollback-landmark-climate-finding\/\"><strong>ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH GROUPS SUE EPA OVER ROLLBACK OF LANDMARK CLIMATE FINDING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A White House official told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> earlier this week that the embargo remains in effect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The President is addressing the depredations of the communist Cuban regime by taking decisive action to hold the Cuban regime accountable for its support of hostile actors, terrorism, and regional instability that endanger American security and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-red-wave-of-conservative-women-elected-to-congress\/\" title=\"The Red Wave of Conservative Women Elected to Congress\">foreign policy<\/a>,&rdquo; the official said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US tightens pressure on Cuba: oil cut, tariffs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4175,"featured_media":2572155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26049026894020.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[13954,73814,5036,3634,74259],"class_list":["post-2572154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cuba","tag-regime-change-2","tag-sanctions","tag-trump","tag-us-foreign-policy-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26049026894020.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4175"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572154"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2572158,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572154\/revisions\/2572158"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2572155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}