Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Trump Admin Blocks Cuban Oil, Charges Castro Amid Gas Crisis

5/28/2026

30 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposed an oil blockade on Cuba and charged former president Raúl Castro.
Cuban taxi drivers report gasoline jumped from $1.20 to $8 per litre and many endure 22-hour blackouts.
Cuban journalists say sanctions are eroding popularity, blocking medical travel, and come as U.S. officials allege Cuba holds over 300 drones, a claim critics liken to the false 2003 Iraq WMD narrative.

History

Historical Context

After Eisenhower’s 1960 trade embargo and Kennedy’s February 1962 expansion that blocked about 90 % of Cuban imports, Cuba turned to Soviet oil in exchange for sugar, a reliance that collapsed during the 1991 Special Period. The United States tightened the embargo again in 2025, and a January 2026 U.S. action halted Venezuelan oil shipments, reviving the island’s historic energy shortages.

1 of 2

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposed an oil blockade on Cuba and charged former president Raúl Castro.
Cuban taxi drivers report gasoline jumped from $1.20 to $8 per litre and many endure 22-hour blackouts.
Cuban journalists say sanctions are eroding popularity, blocking medical travel, and come as U.S. officials allege Cuba holds over 300 drones, a claim critics liken to the false 2003 Iraq WMD narrative.

1 / 2