MEXICO CITY — In a significant diplomatic maneuver, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Friday that her administration will dispatch humanitarian assistance to Cuba while simultaneously engaging in delicate negotiations with the United States regarding potential circumvention of the American oil blockade against the Caribbean nation.
The announcement comes amid escalating tensions following US President Donald Trump’s declaration to economically isolate communist Cuba by cutting off its oil supplies, accompanied by threats of imposing tariffs on any country attempting to assist Havana. The island nation, grappling with a severe energy crisis, has historically depended on subsidized petroleum from Venezuela, whose leadership was recently destabilized by US intervention.
President Sheinbaum revealed that Mexico is preparing to send essential supplies consisting primarily of food items and other requested materials, with shipment expected no later than Monday. Simultaneously, Mexican diplomats are engaged in ongoing discussions with Washington to explore avenues for resuming oil exports without triggering sanctions against Mexico.
According to data released by state-owned petroleum company Pemex, Mexico’s oil sales to Cuba amounted to $496 million in 2025, representing less than one percent of the company’s total production. Pemex maintains that these shipments serve exclusively humanitarian purposes amid Cuba’s worsening energy emergency.
The US pressure campaign threatens to exacerbate Cuba’s power generation capabilities, with fuel shortages already causing significant blackouts across the island. In a contrasting approach, the US State Department disclosed on Thursday the allocation of $6 million in direct aid to Cuban citizens through Catholic Church channels, building upon previous assistance totaling $3 million distributed via similar mechanisms.