President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency regarding Cuba. The order establishes a mechanism to impose tariffs on imports from nations providing oil to the island.
The executive order states that Cuba's policies and actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security. It authorizes the secretaries of Commerce, State, Treasury and Homeland Security, along with the U.S. trade representative, to determine tariff measures.
Cuba's foreign minister denounced the order as a total blockade on fuel, calling it an act of aggression. The U.S. already enforces a longstanding economic embargo and secondary sanctions on Cuba.