US sanctions Cuba’s state oil and gas company CUPET

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2026 — The United States has sanctioned Cuba’s state-owned oil and gas company Unión Cuba-Petróleo, known as CUPET, in the latest escalation of the Trump administration’s pressure campaign on Havana. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said CUPET was added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List on June 11 under Executive Order 14404.

OFAC identified the entity as “UNION CUBA PETROLEO (a.k.a. CUPET),” listed its Havana address, said it was established on March 25, 1992, and classified it as a state-owned enterprise under the Cuba sanctions program.

The designation was tied to a State Department press statement titled “Sanctioning Cuba’s State-Owned Oil and Gas Company Unión Cuba-Petróleo,” which OFAC linked in its official sanctions update.

The move fits into a broader Cuba sanctions framework rolled out after Executive Order 14404 was issued on May 1, 2026. OFAC says that order created a new Cuba-related sanctions program, including blocking sanctions and other measures against foreign persons meeting the order’s criteria, while existing Cuba embargo rules under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations remain in force in parallel.

The administration has announced several Cuba-related sanctions actions in recent weeks, signaling a sustained campaign targeting Cuban state entities and officials.