The U.S. government will allow Mexico to continue sending oil to Cuba, despite recent threats from President Donald Trump to completely cut off crude oil supplies to the island, according to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in an interview with CBS.
According to Wright, Washington’s current policy is to “allow” Mexico to continue supplying oil to Cuba. The information was confirmed by CBS News, which also cited another U.S. official who supported this position.
The statements contrast with the message posted Sunday by Trump on his social media, where he assured that “there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba: zero,” at least as far as Venezuela is concerned.
An official from the U.S. administration, quoted by CBS on condition of anonymity, indicated that Washington does not seek Cuba’s collapse due to lack of fuel, although it does hope that the country will “abandon its communist system.”
Amid this scenario, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel assured that there are currently no talks with the Trump administration, beyond contacts limited to immigration matters.
The island’s energy situation has become more delicate after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which left Cuba exposed to a negative impact due to the halt in bilateral relations with Venezuela, one of its main energy partners, EFE reported.
Mexico proposes to mediate between Cuba and U.S.
For her part, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum affirmed this Monday that her government could act as a “communication vehicle” between the United States and Cuba.
However, she clarified that this issue was not discussed in her recent talks with Trump and that any mediation role would depend on the acceptance of both parties.
It also was not reported whether the supply of oil from Mexico to Cuba was discussed, according to CBS News.
Tensions between Washington and Havana have increased after the Financial Times reported that Mexico has become Cuba’s main supplier of crude oil.
Last week, however, Sheinbaum maintained that “no more oil is being sent than has been sent historically” and denied that there was “any particular shipment.”
In this context, a tanker carrying approximately 86,000 barrels of fuel from Mexico arrived in Havana last Friday.
Llega a La Habana petrolero con cerca de 86 mil barriles de combustible desde México
The shipment is intended to alleviate the prolonged power outages affecting large areas of the country, according to EFE news agency, citing data from the University of Texas Energy Institute.
According to official figures, Cuba needs around 110,000 barrels of fuel per day to meet its basic energy needs, of which about 40,000 are produced domestically.
Imported fuel accounts for nearly 60% of national consumption and more than half of it is used to power thermoelectric plants.
Independent studies indicate that, in recent years, Mexico and Venezuela have been Cuba’s main suppliers of hydrocarbons, with a smaller contribution from Russia.
Sheinbaum: México podría ser “vehículo de comunicación” entre EEUU y Cuba “si ambas partes aceptan”
