Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has confirmed that an oil shipment to Cuba was cancelled, stressing that the move was a “sovereign” decision and not the result of pressure from the United States.
The decision comes as Cuba faces worsening blackouts caused by fuel shortages, with Mexico having become its main oil supplier after US restrictions halted Venezuelan shipments.
Reports that Pemex had reversed plans for a delivery this month prompted Sheinbaum to say the choice was made when deemed necessary, amid private government concerns about possible US reprisals.
The cancellation follows increasingly hardline rhetoric from Donald Trump, who declared in January that no oil or money would go to Cuba, though Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico’s opposition to the long-standing US blockade.
She avoided clarifying whether the halt was temporary or the start of a broader suspension, while reaffirming Mexico’s continued solidarity with Cuba. Analysts say her cautious and sometimes evasive responses reflect a balancing act between maintaining workable relations with Washington and preserving support from the left wing of her Morena party.
Claudia Sheinbaum
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