Overview
- The United States designated Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET) under Executive Order 14404 on Thursday, June 11, 2026, which blocks CUPET’s property in U.S. jurisdiction and bars transactions by U.S. persons.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials accused Cuba’s ruling elite of diverting fuel for private benefit and using energy as a tool of social control.
- Havana condemned the move as punitive and warned the sanction will worsen fuel shortages and blackouts that already affect everyday life on the island.
- The CUPET action builds on a wider U.S. pressure campaign this year that has included Treasury sanctions on President Miguel Díaz-Canel, an indictment of Raúl Castro, and curbs on Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba.
- The designation warns foreign firms they risk secondary sanctions for dealing with CUPET, a step that could disrupt third-party trade with Cuba and tighten commercial and diplomatic strains.