White House weighing possible total oil blockade against Cuba: report

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The White House is weighing a possible total blockade of Cuba's oil imports among options aimed at driving regime change in the Caribbean country, U.S. media outlet Politico reported Friday.

No final decision has been made so far, but related debates are ongoing within the Trump administration, said the report, citing people familiar with the matter.

The loss of Venezuelan oil shipments -- and the resale of some of those cargoes that Havana used to obtain foreign currency -- has already throttled Cuba's economy, said the report, adding that a total blockade of oil imports into Cuba could "spark a humanitarian crisis."

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered "a total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela in mid-December 2025. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said earlier this month that the United States will not only market stored oil in Venezuela but also control the sales of oil output from the country indefinitely.

Cuba imports about 60 percent of its oil supply, according to the International Energy Agency. Venezuela had been Cuba's main crude supplier before the U.S. forces' seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3. Enditem