As Cuban Americans, we condemn the Trump administration’s latest escalation against Cuba. His executive order threatening tariffs on countries that sell oil to the island uses deprivation as a tool of foreign policy. It purposefully deepens scarcity, destabilizes a fragile economy already devastated by decades of embargo, and endangers the lives of our loved ones while doing nothing to advance democracy or human rights.

For too long, Cuban Americans have been used as justification for policies that inflict suffering on ordinary Cubans. We reject that completely. We know exactly who will feel the impact of these measures: our parents, our cousins, our friends. Denying fuel only means worsening blackouts, food shortages, and impossible choices. As Cuban Americans from across the political spectrum, we say clearly: not in our name. Our identity will not be used to starve the island we come from.

We call for an end to the current oil sanctions, a full end to the U.S. embargo, and a renewed commitment to engagement and normalization between our countries. After more than six decades, the blockade has failed morally, strategically, and politically; and every new escalation only promises more suffering for the people we love. It is time to turn the page on this failed approach and prioritize dialogue, cooperation, and respect between the United States and Cuba.