Mexico Announces Humanitarian Food Aid to Cuba as Oil Shipments Remain Reduced
Updated (3 articles)
Sheinbaum pledges immediate food assistance to Havana On February 1, 2026, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced at a Sonora event that Mexico will dispatch food and other humanitarian supplies to Cuba within days, emphasizing a diplomatic, humanitarian solution and noting she had not discussed the matter with President Trump [1].
Oil deliveries to Cuba have fallen to roughly 7,000 barrels per day Pemex shipped nearly 20,000 barrels daily to Cuba from January‑September 2025, but satellite‑tracking analyst Jorge Piñón reported volumes dropped to about 7,000 barrels after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s September visit to Mexico City; Sheinbaum described the pause as “temporary” and “sovereign,” not a direct response to U.S. pressure [1][3].
Trump escalates pressure with tariff order targeting oil‑supplying nations On January 30, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from any country that supplies oil to Cuba, singling out Mexico as the primary target; Sheinbaum countered that shipment schedules are dictated by contracts, not politics, and affirmed that humanitarian aid will continue [2].
U.S. demands link cartel cooperation to Cuba oil policy Trump publicly urged Mexico to isolate Cuba and warned of military action against Mexican drug cartels; in the week before Sheinbaum’s oil‑pause announcement, Mexico transferred dozens of suspected cartel members to U.S. authorities, illustrating Washington’s broader leverage over Mexico’s Cuba policy [3][1].
Cuban fuel shortages worsen as oil flow remains uncertain Havana residents reported long gasoline queues, with airport employee Rolando Graña spending two hours waiting, underscoring the immediate impact of reduced oil shipments and the island’s deepening energy crisis, which the announced humanitarian aid aims to alleviate [3][1].
Sources
-
1.
AP: Mexico’s President Sheinbaum Announces Humanitarian Aid to Cuba Amid Oil‑Supply Tensions – Details Sheinbaum’s food‑aid pledge, U.S. pressure from Trump, the drop in oil shipments, and her diplomatic framing of the crisis .
-
2.
AP: Trump Orders Tariffs on Nations Supplying Oil to Cuba – Describes the January 30 tariff order, its focus on Mexico, Sheinbaum’s contract‑based defense, and the potential impact on Cuba’s fuel shortages .
-
3.
AP: Mexico’s President Says Oil Shipments to Cuba Temporarily Paused – Reports Sheinbaum’s announcement of a temporary halt, shipment data, Trump’s anti‑Cuba rhetoric, recent cartel transfers, and local Cuban fuel‑queue reactions .
Timeline
2025 – A U.S. operation deposes President Nicolás Maduro, prompting Venezuela to cease oil shipments to Cuba; Mexico then becomes Cuba’s primary oil supplier, filling the gap in Havana’s energy imports [1][2].
Jan – Sep 2025 – Pemex delivers nearly 20,000 barrels per day of crude and refined products to Cuba, establishing a critical lifeline for the island’s fuel needs [1][2][3].
Sep 2025 – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Mexico City, after which satellite analyst Jorge Piñón records oil deliveries dropping to about 7,000 barrels per day, reflecting intensified U.S. pressure [1][2][3].
Early Jan 2026 – Mexico transfers dozens of suspected cartel affiliates to U.S. authorities, describing the hand‑overs as sovereign actions amid Trump’s anti‑cartel demands [3].
Jan 27, 2026 – President Claudia Sheinbaum announces that Mexico has “at least temporarily stopped” Pemex oil shipments to Cuba, calling the pause a sovereign decision linked to normal supply fluctuations [3].
Jan 30, 2026 – President Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from nations that supply oil to Cuba, singling out Mexico as the primary target of the measure [2].
Jan 30, 2026 – Sheinbaum tells reporters that “the contract determines when shipments are sent and when they are not sent,” insisting the pause is commercial, not political, and pledges that humanitarian aid to Cuba will continue [2][3].
Feb 1, 2026 – Sheinbaum pledges to dispatch food and humanitarian assistance to Cuba within days, stating Mexico seeks “to diplomatically solve everything related to the oil shipments … for humanitarian reasons” and notes she did not discuss Cuban affairs in a phone call with Trump [1].
Feb 1, 2026 – Trump publicly urges Mexico to halt oil shipments to Cuba, framing the request as part of broader U.S. pressure on Havana [1].
2026 (ongoing) – Analysts observe Sheinbaum walks a tightrope between supporting Havana and negotiating a pending U.S. trade agreement, forecasting further Washington pressure for a permanent halt to oil flows [3].