Trump administration to allow US energy sales to Cuba’s private sector

The Trump administration is drafting new guidance for energy companies that will authorize the sale of oil and fuel to Cuba’s nascent private sector, marking a strategic pivot in Washington’s approach toward the island.

A report by Bloomberg, citing a US official, indicates the forthcoming document will emphasize that American companies may supply energy products specifically to independent enterprises on the island rather than the Cuban government.

The directive, jointly authored by the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury, will clarify that the sale of fuel products to private businesses and individuals in Cuba does not require a specific license and is permitted under existing statutory frameworks.

Export restrictions clarified amid humanitarian warnings

According to the report, US authorities moved to delineate the scope of energy export prohibitions following urgent warnings regarding a potential humanitarian crisis in Cuba.

A source familiar with the matter stated that the initiative is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to drive a wedge between the Cuban populace and the ruling government.

Bloomberg further noted that Havana has recently begun allowing small and medium-sized enterprises to import fuel under specific conditions. However, these firms are required to utilize the fuel for their own operations rather than for resale, a restriction that has thus far kept supply volumes suppressed.

Energy crisis and Russian intervention escalate tensions

In late January, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency citing national security threats originating from Cuba, subsequently imposing additional tariffs on oil imports from countries supplying the island.

Havana denounced Washington’s maneuvers as “blackmail” and a violation of free trade principles. As the US military presence in the Caribbean caused a significant portion of oil shipments to the island to cease, the Cuban public was plunged into a severe energy crisis characterized by widespread blackouts.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by pledging financial support to Havana, while the Russian Embassy in Cuba announced that oil shipments would be dispatched as part of a humanitarian aid package.

However, the embassy later dismissed reports claiming that the Sea Horse, a tanker carrying Russian crude, was being escorted to the island by a military convoy.