Background

EO 14380's fuel-tariff track kept running through July even as EO 14404 deepened on a separate front: the 23 July designation of Cuba's medical-missions programme. Granma called that wave "castigo colectivo", collective punishment, the same charge UN rapporteurs had levelled at EO 14380 itself five months earlier.

Executive Order 14380 was signed by President Trump on 29 January 2026, declaring a national emergency over Cuba and authorising secondary tariffs on any third country supplying it with oil or petroleum products. Three UN Special Rapporteurs condemned the order on 12 February 2026 as "an extreme form of unilateral economic coercion with extraterritorial effects", warning that restricting Cuba's fuel imports risks constituting collective punishment under international humanitarian law.

By mid-2026 EO 14380 sits inside a dual-EO architecture: it governs fuel-supply pressure on third-country shippers while EO 14404, signed 1 May, governs personal designations against named officials, most recently used against Cuba's medical-missions programme. Licensing carve-outs, from the lapsed Russian-crude wind-down GL 134B to the narrow Venezuelan-oil exception for private buyers, run on separate tracks under each order.

Common Questions

What is Executive Order 14380?

EO 14380, signed by Trump on 29 January 2026, declared a national emergency over Cuba and authorised secondary tariffs on any country supplying Cuba with oil, extending US sanctions extraterritorially.Source: White House

Is EO 14380 legal under international law?

Three UN Special Rapporteurs condemned it on 12 February 2026 as an extreme form of unilateral coercion with extraterritorial effects, warning it may constitute collective punishment of civilians.Source: UN Special Rapporteurs

Which countries are affected by EO 14380 Cuba sanctions?

Any country that sells oil or petroleum products to Cuba faces secondary US tariffs under EO 14380, regardless of their own diplomatic relations with the United States.Source: US Treasury / White House

Did the US make any exceptions to the Cuba oil ban?

On 25 March 2026 the US Treasury issued a narrow licence permitting Venezuelan oil sales to Cuban private-sector buyers; GAESA and the Cuban state remain blocked.Source: US Treasury

What is OFAC General Licence 134B under EO 14380?

GL 134B, issued 18 April 2026, is a second consecutive 30-day wind-down extension under EO 14380 authorising transactions in Russian crude loaded before 17 April 2026 through 16 May 2026. It explicitly covers the Sovcomflot tanker Universal bound for Matanzas, Cuba.Source: OFAC

Why did the UN condemn EO 14380?

Three UN Special Rapporteurs condemned EO 14380 on 12 February 2026 as "an extreme form of unilateral economic coercion with extraterritorial effects", warning that restricting Cuba's fuel imports risks constituting collective punishment of civilians.Source: UN Special Rapporteurs

Can Cuban private companies buy Venezuelan oil under EO 14380?

A 25 March 2026 Treasury licence permits PDVSA crude sales to Cuban private-sector buyers only. GAESA and the Cuban state remain explicitly blocked from Venezuelan crude purchases.Source: US Treasury

What impact has EO 14380 had on everyday Cubans?

The UN assessed approximately 2 million Cubans across 8 provinces needed humanitarian assistance by April 2026. The Granma newspaper cut to weekly printing citing EO 14380's impact on fuel supply chains; rolling blackouts of 12+ hours daily have affected millions.Source: UN / Cuba Dispatch

What is the difference between EO 14380 and EO 14404 on Cuba?

EO 14380 (29 January 2026) authorises secondary tariffs on third countries supplying Cuba with oil. EO 14404 (1 May 2026) authorises personal designations of named Cuban officials, most recently used against Cuba's medical-missions programme on 23 July 2026.Source: Cuba Dispatch

Is General Licence 134B still in effect for Cuba?

No. General Licence 134B, a Russian-crude wind-down extension, expired on 16 May 2026 without a Cuba-specific successor issued under EO 14404.

Did the medical-missions sanctions come under EO 14380 or EO 14404?

EO 14404, not EO 14380. The 23 July designation of CSMC, UCCM and named Cuban officials used the personal-designations authority; EO 14380 continues to govern fuel-supply tariffs on third countries.Source: Cuba Dispatch

How the World Sees Them

Havana

Calls EO 14380 'extraterritorial' coercion that 'intimidates, pressures and extorts' third-party firms; has made it the centrepiece of April 2026 UN diplomatic engagement.

Washington

Frames the order as necessary pressure on Cuba's government; GL 134B wind-down extensions are justified as covering oil already in transit, not new supply.

European Union

Has raised humanitarian concerns about the order's extraterritorial reach and its impact on EU companies doing legitimate trade with Cuba.

United Nations

Three Special Rapporteurs called it an extreme coercive measure risking collective punishment of civilians.

Third-country suppliers

Deters PDVSA and other suppliers through threatened secondary tariffs, regardless of US diplomatic relations.