Secondary sanctions in the United States-European Union-Cuba triangle

Abstract

This paper examines secondary sanctions as part of the triangular relations between the United States, the European Union and Cuba. The analysis – built on Dittmer’s (1981) strategic triangle theory and Womack’s (2016) studies of asymmetric relationships – questions the evaluation of sanctions carried out by the US Departments of State, Commerce and the Treasury, noting that, by prioritising the impact on the target’s economy, the evaluation ignores other fundamental effects of the sanctions in terms of triangular relations with allies and alternative powers.

Keywords

• united states
• european union
• cuba
• helms-burton act
• secondary sanctions
• strategic triangles