In a context marked by the Block/however economic and new sanctions announced by the Trump administrationUS agricultural exports to Cuba are not only maintained, but have registered remarkable growth during the first semester of 2025.
According to data from US-Cuba Trade and Economic Councilonly In May of this year, agricultural sales reached 37 million dollars, the highest monthly figure registered to date.
In total, between January and May exports of food and agricultural products – such as soybean and jojoba, coffee and tire extracts – added 205 million dollars, a Increase of 16.6 % compared to the same period of 2024.
The trade of new and used vehicles, trucks and motorcycles has also shown a sustained increase, according to a special of The day.
“From the first exports of corn, wheat and rice in December 2001 until today, Cubans have acquired approximately 8 billion in agricultural and food products paid in cash,” said John Kavulich, director of the US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.
“These sales have been consistently, during the past 24 years, among the 50 countries – about 200 – of higher US exports,” he added.
Kavulich emphasizes that Cuba is a safe commercial destination for US exporters: “Cuba is the safest export market for US companies because it’s all in cash.”
American export and medical products to Cuba increase in January
USA-CUBA: Exports vs. More sanctions
At the end of June, President Trump announced a series of Additional measures against the Cuban governmentwhich included new visa restrictions, expansion of the list of hotels vetoed for American tourists and brake on sending remittances through the Western Union.
Besides, The State Department has kept Cuba in the list of terrorism sponsorship countries and warned about possible sanctions to nations collaborating with Cuban medical brigades.
For Kavulich, the recent publication of the document National Security Policy Memorandum-5 (NSPM-5) Send a clear signal to the business and banking sector:
“The mere fact of presenting the document had an effect. In charge of compliance with norms within the banks they examined it immediately, you have business executives seeing it, they all evaluate it and so it becomes Another reason to avoid everything that has to do with Cuba. ”
“Deep and unprecedented pain on the island,” says Exoficial de la CIA
Although the new sanctions have been presented as a more aggressive policy, experts agree that there is no break with the guidelines applied in previous administrations.
“If one reviews Trump’s first government, it was not until 2019 that they proceeded against the cruises (who arrived in Havana) and then they went for the Marriott hotels administration contract. They took their time. This time they are proceeding at once,” Kavulich observed in an interview with The day.
For his part, Fulton Armstrong, former national intelligence for Latin America, said that The current actions “have inflicted deep and unprecedented pain on the island”, but in essence the policy of “maximum pressure” continues also applied by the government of Joe Biden.
“Trump has not done anything drastic so far, but he and his secretary and undersecretary of anti -Castro state have not shown signs of abandoning their ambitions for regime change, an objective that has been promoted through various tactics by governments of both parties,” he explained.
Even so, Trade remains, although with strict conditions.
“All this business is in cash, since the measures prevent the use of banks and other financial institutions,” said Kavulich, who also warned about a possible climb: “Things could complicate more if this government wishes to cause more damage by imposing greater restrictions on the use of banks in third nations.”
The expert recalled that the opportunities of a deeper commercial approach have been wasted since the years Barack Obama promoted relationship standardization.
“The Democrat’s government shunned to establish financing mechanisms while the Cuban regime, welcoming more trade, was reluctant to allow direct investment on the island by US companies,” he lamented.
Ofac fine with more than $ 600 thousand to American company for shipping to Cuba
