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On May 20th, the U.S. Justice Department indicted Cuba's former president Raul Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of two civilian airplanes.
The Trump administration has imposed a near-total oil embargo on Cuba for the past five months.
The U.S. oil embargo on Cuba began after the United States removed Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela.
Cuba is experiencing severe fuel shortages for electricity generation, which has negatively impacted food production, hospitals, and schools.
Electricity shortages in Cuba have led to the failure of life-sustaining medical equipment, such as ventilators, in hospitals.
A recent visit to Cuba by CIA Director John Ratcliffe is widely interpreted as a signal that the U.S. is prepared to use military force against the country.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe threatened the Cuban government with a Venezuela-style intervention if it does not cooperate with U.S. demands for reform.
One analyst view holds that the perceived success of the 2.5-hour U.S. operation to remove Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela could increase the Trump administration's appetite for military intervention in Cuba.
The Trump administration's National Security Strategy identifies counteracting China, Russia, and Iran in the Western Hemisphere as a key foreign policy goal.
In January, President Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs on any country that supplies oil to Cuba.
The Castro family maintains control over Cuba's economy through GAESA, a military-run conglomerate that is the primary power broker on the island.
Approximately 20% of Cuba's population, amounting to several million people, has emigrated in recent years due to a lack of economic opportunity.