Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Argentina Javier Milei in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuba’s state-owned energy company, Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET), as the Trump administration intensifies pressure on the Cuban government.

In a statement released Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that CUPET had been sanctioned under Executive Order 14404, accusing Cuba’s leadership of using the country’s energy resources to maintain political control and benefit government elites.

Rubio alleged that fuel supplies have been diverted to support senior officials, security forces and government activities while ordinary Cubans continue to face fuel shortages and frequent power outages.

“For decades, the regime has stolen and hoarded available fuel,” Rubio said, claiming the resources have been used to sustain the government’s political agenda while many citizens struggle with blackouts and long waits for fuel.

The Secretary of State said the sanctions are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to increase economic pressure on Cuba’s Communist government.

Rubio added that the United States would continue targeting sectors of the Cuban economy that it believes help the government maintain power and suppress dissent.

The Cuban government had not immediately responded to the latest sanctions announcement.