On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order that will impose tariffs on any goods from countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba, a move that could cripple the island, which has been hit by an ongoing energy crisis.
The order it would put pressure on Mexicothe government that has worked as an oil pipeline in Cuba and has always expressed solidarity with America’s enemy, as President Claudia Sheinbaum wants to build a strong relationship with Mr. Trump.
This week there was speculation that Mexico would cut oil exports to Cuba under increasing pressure from Mr Trump to distance himself from the Cuban government.
In its deep energy and economic crisis – fueled in part by tough economic sanctions imposed by the US – Cuba relies heavily on foreign aid and oil exports from allies such as Mexico, Russia and Venezuela, before the US military operation was launched former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
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Since the operation of Venezuela, Mr. Trump said that no more Venezuelan oil will go to Cuba and that the Cuban government is “ready to collapse.”
On January 11, Mr. Trump wrote on social media that “there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba – zero.”
At the time, a US official told CBS News that the US did not want to cause the fall of the Cuban government, but rather to negotiate with Havana to move away from its powerful communist system.
In its latest report, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, Pemex, said it is exporting nearly 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba from January to September 30, 2025. That month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mexico City. After that, Jorge PiƱon, an expert at the University of Texas Energy Institute who tracks shipments using satellite technology, said the number dropped to 7,000 barrels.
Sheinbaum has been vague about where his country stands, and this week gave circular and vague answers to questions about the shipment, and dodged questions from reporters at his morning press conference.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum said Pemex had at least temporarily suspended oil shipments to Cuba, but hit back, saying the pause was part of normal fluctuations in oil supply and that it was an “independent decision” not made under pressure from the US. Sheinbaum said Mexico would continue to show solidarity with Havana, but not with Mexico.
On Wednesday, the Latin American leader said he never said that Mexico had completely “stopped” exports and that “aid” to Cuba would continue, and that decisions about exports to Cuba were determined by Pemex contracts.
“So the contract determines when the goods are shipped and when they are not shipped,” Sheinbaum said.
The lack of clarity in this leader emphasized the great pressure Mexico and other Latin American countries are under as Mr. he grew up very controversial following the operation of Venezuela.
It is not yet clear that this Thursday’s order of Mr. Anxiety was running high on the Caribbean island as many motorists sat in long queues this week for fuel, many unsure of what to do next.
