--- title: "What the US blockade of Cuba is" summary: "The US blockade of Cuba is a set of US laws and rules that limit trade, travel and money. Cuba, the UN and the US use different names for it." published: 2026-10-29 reviewed: 2026-10-29 canonical: "https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/learn/what-is-the-blockade" license: "CC BY 4.0" --- # What the US blockade of Cuba is > The US blockade of Cuba is a set of US laws and rules that limit trade, travel and money between the two countries. It began in the early 1960s and is run today by the US Treasury [1]. Cuba calls it a blockade, the UN resolution calls it an embargo, and the US government says there is no blockade [2]. ## Two words for one policy Cuba's government and many of its supporters say "[blockade](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/glossary#blockade)." The US government says "[embargo](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/glossary#embargo)," or just "sanctions." The UN resolution uses "embargo." Its full title is "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba." [3] In the law of war, a naval blockade means a country at war stops ships from all states reaching certain ports. Two legal scholars wrote in April 2026 that "embargo" fits the US measures better. They say there is no armed conflict, and the measures come from US domestic law. [4] In the UN debate in October 2026, Mr Waltz, the US ambassador, said: "There is no blockade." [2] This site uses both words. "Blockade" appears in its titles because Cuba and many of its supporters use it. In both cases the subject is the same set of US rules. ## How it began On 3 February 1962, US President John F. Kennedy proclaimed an embargo on trade between the United States and Cuba. [5] Imports of Cuban goods were banned from 7 February 1962. [5] UN News says the embargo was first imposed in 1960. [2] In July 1963, the US Treasury issued the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. They ban most trade and money transfers and freeze Cuban government assets. [6] ## What the rules do today A Treasury office called [OFAC](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/glossary#ofac) runs the rules. It says the Cuba sanctions come from "multiple legal authorities." [1] In 1996, the [Helms-Burton Act](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/glossary#helms-burton-act) wrote the embargo into US law, as it stood on 1 March 1996. [7] A Congressional Research Service report says the President cannot end the embargo alone. [6] The rules ban most dealings with Cuba for people and companies in the US, unless OFAC allows them by licence. [1] US law bans tourist travel. [6] Sales of food and medicine are allowed, but only under licence and for cash in advance. [6] The rules grew tighter in 2026. New rules that took effect on 30 September 2026 ended a general permission for group "people-to-people" travel and a rule that let some payments pass through US banks. [8] US banks must now block accounts held by Cuban private business owners. [9] Travel is still limited. Only 12 listed kinds of travel are allowed, and tourist travel to Cuba stays barred. [9] The State Department keeps a list of Cuban firms called the Cuba Restricted List. Since 30 September 2026, US persons may not make even indirect money transfers to firms on it. [9] Some activities are still allowed under general licences. The new rules name legal services, emergency medical services and humanitarian work by non-profit groups. [8] The new rules also let the US sanction banks outside the US that handle "significant" transactions for blocked people. [8] That reach beyond US borders is called [extraterritorial](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/glossary#extraterritorial-sanctions). ## Why people disagree Cuba's foreign minister told the UN in July 2026 that the measures cost Cuba about $8 billion between March 2025 and February 2026. [10] This is Cuba's own estimate. We have not seen it checked by an independent source. Cuban authorities say the embargo harms the country's health system, including delays to vaccination programmes. [2] The US government disagrees and says Cuba's problems come from its own government. [2] On 28 October 2026, 130 UN member states voted to call for the embargo to end. Seventeen voted against and 25 abstained. [11] South Africa supports ending it. In August 2026, Parliament's committee on international relations "reaffirmed South Africa's long-standing support for the immediate and unconditional lifting" of the embargo. [12] ## Main counterarguments - The US government says there is no blockade. Its ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, told the General Assembly in October 2026 that US exports to Cuba were more than $876 million in the first eight months of 2026 [2]. US law also allows sales of food and medicine to Cuba, but only under licence and for cash in advance [6]. - The US government says Cuba's hardship comes from its own government, not from US rules. In July 2026 the US representative at the UN blamed the Cuban government for repression and for the country's economic problems [10]. Mr Waltz said Cuba's wealth had passed from ordinary Cubans to a ruling elite [2]. ## Sources 1. Cuba Sanctions. US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control. https://ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/cuba-sanctions (US government) 2. General Assembly weighs US embargo against Cuba ahead of 34th vote. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/10/1168686 (United Nations) 3. Amid shifting alliances, General Assembly demands end to US embargo on Cuba. UN News, 29 October 2025. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166213 (United Nations) 4. The United States-Cuba Oil Embargo and International Law. Just Security (New York University School of Law), 29 April 2026. https://www.justsecurity.org/137325/us-cuba-embargo-international-law/ (Academic) 5. Proclamation 3447, Embargo on all trade with Cuba. US National Archives, Office of the Federal Register, 3 February 1962. https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/proclamations/03447.html (US government) 6. Cuba Sanctions: Legislative Restrictions Limiting the Normalization of Relations (CRS Report R43888). Congressional Research Service (via EveryCRSReport.com), 4 May 2018. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43888.html (US government) 7. Public Law 104-114: Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996. US Government Publishing Office (govinfo), 12 March 1996. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-104publ114/html/PLAW-104publ114.htm (US government) 8. OFAC Issues New Cuba Sanctions Program and Amends the CACR. Holland & Knight LLP, 9 October 2026. https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2026/10/ofac-issues-new-cuba-sanctions-program-and-amends-the-cacr (News) 9. Cuba Sanctions (frequently asked questions). US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control. https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/topic/1541 (US government) 10. General Assembly Resumes Debate on Ending Cuban Embargo, as Havana Leads Outcry against 'Cruel' Extraterritorial Ambitions of United States. United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases, 7 July 2026. https://press.un.org/en/2026/ga12769.doc.htm (United Nations) 11. General Assembly Adopts Resolution to Lift United States Embargo of Cuba. United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases, 28 October 2026. https://press.un.org/en/2026/ga12801.doc.htm (United Nations) 12. Committee on International Relations reiterates South Africa's call for lifting US embargo and unilateral measures against Cuba. Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, 13 August 2026. https://www.parliament.gov.za/news/south-africa-reiterates-call-lifting-us-embargo-and-unilateral-measures-against-cuba (South African government) ## What you can do - [Ask your MP to keep SA backing Cuba](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/act/ask-your-mp-un-vote) - [Share SA and Cuba in 60 seconds](https://cuba.timothybrits.co.za/act/share-sa-and-cuba-in-60-seconds)