<P> The United States embargo against Cuba ( in Cuba called el bloqueo , `` the blockade '' ) is a commercial , economic , and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba . An embargo was first imposed by the United States on sale of arms to Cuba on March 14 , 1958 , during the Fulgencio Batista regime . Again on October 19 , 1960 ( almost two years after the Batista regime was deposed by the Cuban Revolution ) the U.S. placed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for food and medicine after Cuba nationalized American - owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation . On February 7 , 1962 the embargo was extended to include almost all imports . Currently , the Cuban embargo is enforced mainly through six statutes : the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917 , the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 , the Cuban Assets Control Regulations of 1963 , the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 , the Helms -- Burton Act of 1996 , and the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 . The stated purpose of the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 is to maintain sanctions on Cuba as long as the Cuban government refuses to move toward `` democratization and greater respect for human rights '' . The Helms -- Burton Act further restricted United States citizens from doing business in or with Cuba , and mandated restrictions on giving public or private assistance to any successor government in Havana unless and until certain claims against the Cuban government were met . In 1999 , President Bill Clinton expanded the trade embargo by also disallowing foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to trade with Cuba . In 2000 , Clinton authorized the sale of `` humanitarian '' U.S. products to Cuba . </P>
<P> The United States embargo against Cuba ( in Cuba called el bloqueo , `` the blockade '' ) is a commercial , economic , and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba . An embargo was first imposed by the United States on sale of arms to Cuba on March 14 , 1958 , during the Fulgencio Batista regime . Again on October 19 , 1960 ( almost two years after the Batista regime was deposed by the Cuban Revolution ) the U.S. placed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for food and medicine after Cuba nationalized American - owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation . On February 7 , 1962 the embargo was extended to include almost all imports . Currently , the Cuban embargo is enforced mainly through six statutes : the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917 , the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 , the Cuban Assets Control Regulations of 1963 , the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 , the Helms -- Burton Act of 1996 , and the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 . The stated purpose of the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 is to maintain sanctions on Cuba as long as the Cuban government refuses to move toward `` democratization and greater respect for human rights '' . The Helms -- Burton Act further restricted United States citizens from doing business in or with Cuba , and mandated restrictions on giving public or private assistance to any successor government in Havana unless and until certain claims against the Cuban government were met . In 1999 , President Bill Clinton expanded the trade embargo by also disallowing foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to trade with Cuba . In 2000 , Clinton authorized the sale of `` humanitarian '' U.S. products to Cuba . </P>
when did the usa place an embargo on cuba
when did the usa place an embargo on cuba
March 14 , 1958 October 19 , 1960
March 14 , 1958 October 19 , 1960