Mexican president says her nation has paused oil shipments to Cuba : NPR

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated Tuesday her authorities has not less than quickly stopped oil shipments to Cuba, however struck an ambiguous tone, saying the pause was a part of common fluctuations in oil provides and that it was a “sovereign resolution” not made beneath strain from the US.

Sheinbaum was responding to inquiries on whether or not the state oil firm Pemex had reduce off oil shipments to Cuba within the wake of mounting strain from U.S. President Donald Trump that Mexico distance itself from the Cuban authorities, although U.S. officers haven’t publicly requested that Mexico cease the oil.

“Pemex makes choices within the contractual relationship it has with Cuba,” Sheinbaum stated in her morning information briefing. “Suspending is a sovereign resolution and is taken when crucial.”

Sheinbaum’s obscure statements come as Trump has sought to isolate Cuba and additional ramp up the strain on the island, a longtime adversary beneath strict financial sanctions from Washington. Trump has stated the Cuban authorities is able to fall, and that the island would obtain no extra oil shipments from Venezuela after a U.S. army operation deposed former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In its deepening vitality and financial disaster, Cuba has relied closely on overseas help and oil shipments from allies like Mexico, Russia, and — beforehand — Venezuela.

Mexico has sought to stability its long-term help of Cuba’s authorities with strain from Trump for Latin American leaders to fall in step with his imaginative and prescient for the area.

Sheinbaum stated Tuesday that Mexico would proceed to indicate solidarity with Havana, however did not make clear what sort of help Mexico would provide.

Mexico has confronted its personal strain from Washington, as Trump has threatened to take army motion towards Mexican drug cartels.

Mexico final week transferred dozens of suspected cartel members to the US to face justice. They had been sought by the Trump administration, however Sheinbaum used comparable language on the time as she did Tuesday, saying the transfers had been made on a sovereign and autonomous foundation.

Mexican oil has lengthy acted as a key lifeline for Cuba. In its most up-to-date report, Pemex stated it shipped almost 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba from January via Sept. 30, 2025. That month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mexico Metropolis. Afterward, Jorge Piñon, an knowledgeable on the College of Texas Vitality Institute who tracks shipments utilizing satellite tv for pc expertise, stated the determine had fallen to about 7,000 barrels.

Sheinbaum has spent weeks saying she would offer clear knowledge on exports to Cuba, however has but to take action. The Cuban authorities and Pemex didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Piñon stated that whereas the way forward for shipments from Mexico stays unsure, what was clear is that Sheinbaum is “strolling a tightrope” between her political rhetoric supporting Cuba and upcoming commerce settlement negotiations with the U.S.

Analysts now count on additional strain from Washington to halt these shipments extra completely, given Trump’s rising calls for that Mexico ship stronger ends in the battle towards drug cartels.

In the meantime, dozens of drivers waited hours in lengthy strains — widespread on the island — to replenish their automobiles with gasoline, saying that they had heard the information. Whereas some stated they weren’t notably apprehensive and stated they might discover a manner ahead, others expressed deep anxiousness over what the long run would possibly maintain.

Rolando Graña, 40, spent two hours of his break day in a fuel line. For the airport worker, it was a hunt for gasoline slightly than a day of relaxation.

“That is going to have an effect on us much more now,” Graña stated.