Tariffs for Thee, Not for Me: Trump's Cuban Sanctions
📰 THE STORY: CBS News reports on then-President Trump's 2019 executive order threatening tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba, framing it as part of broader efforts to pressure the Cuban government. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The US embargo against Cuba began in 1960 under the Eisenhower administration and was formalized in 1962, following the Cuban
Revolution. The explicit goal, as stated in a 1960 State Department memo from Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lester D. Mallory, was to 'bring about hunger, despair, and overthrow of government' through economic denial. This policy has continued for over six decades, causing an estimated $147.9 billion in economic damage to Cuba by 2020. The Trump administration specifically reversed many of
Obama's eased restrictions, escalating pressure. Double Standard: The US routinely applies unilateral sanctions targeting countries for alleged human rights abuses or anti-democratic practices, as seen with Venezuela or Iran. Yet, Washington remains silent or even actively supports nations like Saudi Arabia, a brutal monarchy with a documented history of human rights violations, that are vital oil
suppliers and arms purchasers. This hypocrisy exposes that the true motive is rarely 'human rights' but rather geopolitical alignment and economic subservience. Follow the Money: Beyond the immediate impact on global oil markets and Cuba's economy, these sanctions maintain a lucrative status quo for certain US-based industries and political actors. The Cuban-American lobby, particularly in