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The executive order signed this Thursday by President Donald Trump, which declares a "national emergency" regarding Cuba, has generated a flurry of headlines, analyses, and speculations in recent hours, but it contains a key clarification.
The advisor on political strategies and former assistant secretary of the Department of State, Yleen Poblete, has made an important clarification on the subject, as reported on social media by journalist Wilfredo Cancio.
"The declaration of national emergency concerning Cuba is a continuation of the national emergency declared on March 1, 1996, after Cuban Migs shot down two humanitarian aircraft from the United States over international waters, resulting in the deaths of three American citizens and one permanent resident," Cancio explained.
Since then, this national emergency has been renewed year after year by successive presidents, both Republican and Democratic.
The national emergency of 1996 has been extended and renewed each year, with the most recent extension being enacted by President Trump on February 24, 2025.
The only new element in the "national emergency" document published this Thursday is the announcement of tariffs on products from countries that sell or supply oil or any of its derivatives to the Cuban regime.
The proclamation signed by Trump does not constitute a break or a "new" declaration of emergency in the strict sense, but rather an extension of the national emergency first declared in March 1996.
What changes now? Tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba
What the new executive order does introduce is a mechanism for imposing tariffs on products from countries that sell or supply oil or its derivatives to Cuba.
According to the White House itself, this measure aims to cut off the Cuban regime's access to fuels that support its energy and political apparatus, which were still mainly sourced from allies like Venezuela.
The provision instructs the Secretary of Commerce to identify the countries involved in supplying crude oil to the island, and the Secretary of State to determine—after consulting with other agencies—whether the imposition of additional punitive tariffs is warranted.
A strategy of total encirclement: Pressure Cuba and deter its allies
As The Wall Street Journal contextualized, this new executive order is part of a comprehensive strategy by the Trump administration to provoke a regime change in Cuba before the end of 2026, taking advantage of what officials consider a “historic window of opportunity.”
The inclusion of tariffs is not only intended to economically suffocate the Cuban government but also to deter any other country from attempting to replace Venezuela as a fuel supplier. Strategically speaking, it represents a total encirclement.
The executive order also states that the policies and actions of the Cuban government represent “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
In its argument, the text accuses Cuba of:
-Maintain the largest base of Russian intelligence outside of Russia.
-Deepen military and intelligence ties with the People's Republic of China.
-Sheltering and cooperating with groups considered terrorist, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
-Destabilize the region through migration, violence, and support for non-state actors.
-Exercising systematic repression over its population, restricting fundamental human rights.
"The United States has zero tolerance for the predations of the Cuban communist regime," the decree states.
"We will act to protect foreign policy, national security, and the interests of the United States, while remaining committed to the aspirations of the Cuban people for a free and democratic society."
Legal basis and implementation structure
The order is based on three fundamental legal instruments of U.S. law:
-The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
-The National Emergency Law.
Title 3 of the United States Code.
The implementation will depend on the Secretaries of Commerce and State, and may be adjusted based on circumstances or retaliatory measures by other governments.
It also instructs the State Department to monitor and periodically report to Congress on the development and consequences of the measure.
The Cuban regime has already reacted. In recent hours, the Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, referred to the measure as a "brutal aggression."
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