A trade embargo (from Spanish embargar, meaning “embarrassing” or “sequester”) is a ban decided by subjects of public law (state or states and international organization groups) to cease maintaining commercial relations with another country or a group of countries in order to isolate, weaken, or paralyze their economy. The ultimate aim is to put pressure on the government of the concerned state to make it change its policy. The embargo is a coercive political measure relying on diplomatic, legal, or military means.

An embargo strictly regulates what is allowed or not allowed in terms of trade and exchange. [Page 1612]It can apply to exports or imports, or both, and may be a total ban or may target only certain products, such as the ban on trade ...