WASHINGTON – In a bold political move, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could have significant international repercussions. The order imposes tariffs on goods from countries supplying oil to Cuba, further tightening the screws on an island already grappling with a severe energy crisis.

This latest move is particularly aimed at Mexico, a nation that has consistently provided a crucial oil lifeline to Cuba. Mexico’s government, under the leadership of President Claudia Sheinbaum, has frequently expressed solidarity with Cuba, despite efforts to nurture a positive relationship with the Trump administration.

During a press conference on Thursday, when questioned by a reporter about whether his actions were intended to “choke off” Cuba, President Trump responded, “The word ‘choke off’ is awfully tough. I’m not trying to, but, it looks like it’s something that’s just not going to be able to survive.”

Speculation has been rife this week about whether Mexico will bow to pressure from the United States and reduce its oil exports to Cuba. This development comes as part of Trump’s broader strategy to isolate the Cuban government further.

This week has been marked by speculation that Mexico would slash oil shipments to Cuba under mounting pressure by Trump to distance itself from the Cuban government.

In its deepening energy and economic crisis – fueled in part by strict economic sanctions by the U.S. – Cuba has relied heavily on foreign assistance and oil shipments from allies like Mexico, Russia and Venezuela, before a U.S. military operation ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Since the Venezuela operation, Trump has said that no more Venezuelan oil will go to Cuba and that the Cuban government is ready to fall.

In its most recent report, Mexico’s state-owned oil company Pemex said it shipped nearly 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba from January through Sept. 30, 2025. That month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mexico City. Afterward, Jorge Piñon, an expert at the University of Texas Energy Institute who tracks shipments using satellite technology, said the figure had fallen to about 7,000 barrels.

Sheinbaum has been incredibly vague about where her country stood, and this week has given roundabout and ambiguous answers to inquiries about the shipments, and dodged reporters questions in her morning press briefings.

On Tuesday, Sheinbaum said that Pemex, had at least temporarily paused some oil shipments to Cuba, but struck an ambiguous tone, saying the pause was part of general fluctuations in oil supplies and that it was a “sovereign decision” not made under pressure from the United States. Sheinbaum has said that Mexico would continue to show solidarity with Havana, but didn’t clarify what kind of support Mexico would offer.

On Wednesday, the Latin American leader claimed she never said that Mexico has completely “suspended” shipments and that “humanitarian aid” to Cuba would continue and that decisions about shipments to Cuba were determined by Pemex contracts.

“So the contract determines when shipments are sent and when they are not sent,” Sheinbaum said.

The lack of clarity from the leader has underscored the extreme pressure Mexico and other Latin American nations are under as Trump has grown more confrontational following the Venezuelan operation.

It remains unclear what the Thursday order by Trump will mean for Cuba, which has been roiled by crisis for years and a U.S. embargo. Anxieties were already simmering on the Caribbean island as many drivers sat in long lines this week for gasoline, many unsure of what would come next.

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Janetsky reported from Mexico City.