Overview
- Rep. Pramila Jayapal said at a Seattle briefing that she spoke with ambassadors from Mexico and other countries to explore how to get oil to Cuba as the island faces a fuel crisis.
- She argued U.S. sanctions amount to an “economic bombing” of Cuba’s infrastructure and said they violate international law, citing what she described as collapsing services on the island.
- Republicans, led by Sen. Rick Scott, accused her of helping a sanctioned regime after video of her remarks spread on X, where conservative accounts framed the outreach as illegal.
- Legal analysts noted the Logan Act is rarely used and said any case would require proof she helped break sanctions, and no investigation or charges have been publicly announced.
- Context for the dispute: Trump threatened tariffs in January 2026 on countries that supply Cuba with oil and expanded penalties on May 1, and Jayapal said only one Russian tanker has reached Cuba since January with Moscow indicating another shipment, leaving fuel in short supply for daily life.