President Donald Trump signed an executive order that blocks all assets and interests in properties located in the United States belonging to foreign individuals associated with the Cuban regime, significantly expanding the scope of sanctions against Havana.
The announcement, released from the White House, is based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and expands the legal framework of the Executive Order 14380 signed on January 29, 2026, which declared a national emergency concerning Cuba.
The order states that the policies of the Cuban regime "continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," and adds that they "are not only designed to harm the United States, but are also repugnant to the moral and political values of free and democratic societies."
The sectors covered by the asset blockade include energy, defense and related materials, metals and mining, financial services, and the security of the Cuban economy.
The order targets leaders, officials, and executives of the Cuban government, those who have provided material or technological support to the regime, individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses, and those involved in acts of corruption.
One of the broadest provisions extends the sanctions to the adult relatives of already designated individuals, significantly expanding the scope of the measures.
The designations will not require prior notification to those affected. The order itself justifies this decision by stating that "the ability to transfer funds instantly would render the measures ineffective" if advance notice were given.
The order also suspends entry into the United States, as immigrants or non-immigrants, for all individuals who meet the sanction criteria, unless the Secretary of State determines that their entry is in the national interest.
In addition, it authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to sanction foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions with blocked individuals, including the prohibition of correspondent accounts within U.S. territory.
A White House official warned that "Cuba provides a permissive environment for hostile operations by foreign intelligence, military, and terrorists less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from U.S. territory."
The new order is part of the maximum pressure strategy by Trump against the Cuban dictatorship, which since January 2025 has imposed over 240 sanctions against the regime and intercepted at least seven tankers bound for the island.
The economic impact on Cuba has been devastating. The country is experiencing blackouts of up to 25 hours a day in more than 55% of its territory, and a projected GDP contraction of 7.2% for 2026, according to the Intelligence Unit of The Economist, following a cumulative decline of 23% since 2019.
The regime has responded with accusations of "collective punishment." Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío challenged Washington yesterday to lift the sanctions if it believes that the problems in Cuba are solely the government's responsibility, arguing that Washington "dare not prove its claims by testing the alternative."
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently warned that economic reforms in Cuba are "impossible with these people in charge" and that Washington will not allow adversaries to operate intelligence bases 90 miles from its territory.
Trump predicted the direction of these measures on March 30, when he stated that Cuba "will fail in a short time" and that the United States "will be there to help."
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