Sheinbaum says Mexico cancelled Cuba oil shipment as a 'sovereign' decision

Mexico has cancelled a shipment of oil to Cuba, President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to confirm on Tuesday, saying the decision was “sovereign” and denying it was a response to pressure from the US. Fuel shortages are causing increasingly severe blackouts in Cuba, and Mexico has been the island’s biggest oil supplier since the US blocked shipments from Venezuela last month.

Bloomberg reported that Pemex, Mexico’s state oil company, had “backtracked” on plans to send a much‑needed delivery to Cuba this month, and Mexican officials had reportedly been privately reviewing whether to continue supplies amid fear of US reprisals. After the US captured and renditioned Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela at the start of the year, it appeared to turn its attention to Cuba, with Donald Trump writing in an 11 January Truth Social post: “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” Sheinbaum sidestepped a question about whether the cancelled shipment is a one‑off or a longer suspension, while restating Mexico’s opposition to the US blockade: “Cuba has been under a blockade for too many years now.

And this blockade has caused supply problems on the island.” The decision places Sheinbaum between showing the Trump administration Mexico is a partner on trade and security and avoiding alienation of the left wing of her Morena party.