Why it is in the news
Nearly nine months after US President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14380 (29 January 2026) threatening tariffs on any country supplying oil to Cuba, the US Coast Guard continues to intercept vessels bound for the island — on 5 September 2026 it stopped the cargo ship Grace carrying fuel and escorted it to Mexico (reported 2 October 2026). Power cuts in Cuba now routinely exceed 12 hours a day, nearing 20 hours in some provinces.
The exam angle
Issue: A six-decade unilateral embargo has escalated into an energy blockade with extraterritorial sanctions, deepening a humanitarian crisis and testing international law.