Mexico’s Cuba Oil Shipments Face U.S. Pressure

Mexico City – The Mexican government is reviewing the continuity of its oil shipments to Cuba as internal concerns grow about possible repercussions from the United States, according to sources close to the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum.

The interruption of Venezuelan crude shipments to the Caribbean island, following the U.S. blockade in December and the detention of President Nicolás Maduro, has left Mexico as the main fuel supplier for Cuba, which is facing massive blackouts and energy shortages.

Although Sheinbaum has publicly defended the shipments as “humanitarian aid” based on existing contracts, cabinet officials express concern about possible antagonism with Washington, in a context of USMCA review and U.S. pressure to strengthen Mexico’s cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.

The U.S. administration has intensified regional surveillance: Navy drones over the Gulf of Mexico have followed the route of vessels transporting fuel to the island, while senior White House officials have directly questioned the Mexican leader about crude shipments and the presence of Cuban doctors in Mexico.

Mexican government sources indicate that it has not yet been decided whether shipments will be suspended, reduced, or continue normally. Between January and September 2025, Mexico sent Cuba approximately 17,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 2,000 barrels of refined products, with a value close to 400 million dollars.

Sheinbaum has reiterated that any U.S. military action on Mexican territory would constitute a violation of national sovereignty, while maintaining the offensive against drug cartels, including mass transfers of criminal leaders to the United States, which has been highlighted by U.S. officials.

The Mexican supply represents a lifeline for Cuba, whose economy and energy sector critically depend on external oil imports. Internal experts consider that the interruption of fuel could lead to a humanitarian crisis and increased migration toward Mexico.

The Presidency reaffirmed that decisions about oil shipments and the hiring of Cuban doctors are sovereign and part of solidarity aid to the island, while the White House maintains its pressure on Havana and its allies in Venezuela.