US sanctions push Cuba into crisis

United Nations rights experts warned on August 6, 2026 that expanding US sanctions are pushing Cuba into a 'full-blown crisis.' The sanctions, intensified under President Donald Trump, include an effective oil blockade and restrictions on fuel supplies, leading to severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, as well as widespread power outages. The experts highlighted that energy, transport, irrigation, and basic services are failing, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups. They urged the US to cease hostile acts and revoke measures contrary to international law, and called on the UN Security Council and General Assembly to address the situation urgently. The sanctions include an Executive Order from January 2026 declaring a national emergency and authorizing tariffs on countries supplying crude oil to Cuba, and a May order imposing secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Cuban state institutions or Cuba — GAESA.