In October 1960, strained relations between the United States and Cuba reached a new level when the U.S. government imposed a near-total trade embargo against the island nation. This decision was largely a reaction to Cuba's increasing alignment with the Soviet Union and the nationalization of industries, particularly those owned by American citizens and corporations. Following Fidel Castro's rise to power in 1959, the revolutionary government implemented a series of reforms that included the confiscation of properties without compensation, affecting U.S. businesses significantly.

The embargo included restrictions on exports to Cuba, with exceptions only for food and medicine. It aimed to economically strangle the Cuban economy, which was heavily dependent on trade, particularly in sugar exports to the U.S. The Eisenhower administration believed that the sanctions could destabilize Castro’s government and compel a shift in its policies. In addition to the embargo, there were also limitations on financial transactions and the importation of goods from Cuba into the U.S.

The U.S. Trade Expansion Act of 1962 further solidified the embargo, making it one of the cornerstones of American foreign policy towards Cuba for decades to come. Over the years, the embargo has undergone several revisions and has kept relations between the two nations frosty, impacting the daily lives of Cubans.