The United Nations Organization (UN) and the government of Mexico They separately expressed this Wednesday their growing concern about the energy crisis that Cuba is going through, aggravated after the suspension of oil shipments from Venezuela and the United States’ threats to impose tariffs on countries that supply crude oil to the island.
UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the humanitarian situation on the island could “collapse” if basic fuel needs are not met, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated that her country is seeking “all diplomatic channels” to maintain energy and humanitarian support to Havana.
Guterres’ spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, noted that the United Nations observes “with great concern” the effects of the oil embargo on the Cuban population. “The situation will get worse, if it doesn’t collapse, if its oil needs are not met,” he said.
The deterioration accelerated after the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in a US military operation on January 3, after which the supply of Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba was interrupted.
Until 2025, Caracas covered about 30% of the island’s energy needs, according to international estimates. The suspension of these shipments left Cuba in a critical position, dependent on other suppliers such as Mexico and Russia.
At the same time, Washington has hardened its stance, threatening to impose tariffs on any country that sells oil to Cuba.
“It is a bankrupt nation,” President Donald Trump recently declared, calling the island an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the national security of the United States.
Mexico seeks diplomatic alternatives
From Mexico City, President Claudia Sheinbaum assured that her government is exploring diplomatic mechanisms to sustain crude oil shipments to the island and avoid US sanctions.
“We are looking for all diplomatic channels to be able to resolve this problem, because we do not want to affect Mexico either,” he said in his morning conference.
Sheinbaum highlighted that, in addition to energy contracts, Mexico maintains agreements with Cuba for the presence of doctors in Mexican territory and the purchase of medicines and vaccines. “These are contracts like we have with many other countries in the world, and also how humanitarian aid is given to the whole world,” he stressed.
For his part, the director of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Víctor Rodríguez, specified that this state company has a contract in force since 2023 with Cuba, and that in 2025 it represented sales of 496 million dollars, an amount that considered very low.
“It is less than 1% of crude oil production and 0.1% of Pemex sales,” he explained, while ruling out that operations with Cuba affect the financial stability of the oil company.
The island does not have “any overdue invoices according to the contract,” the executive highlighted.
Accumulated crisis in Cuba
For its part, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the Cuban crisis is not new, but the result of accumulated impacts.
Darío Álvarez, OCHA regional advisor, recalled that in 2024 the island suffered two hurricanes in less than 20 days, an earthquake and massive power outages. In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa affected more than two million people.
“So far we have managed to mobilize around 23% of the more than 74 million dollars needed,” explained Álvarez, highlighting that the lack of fuel delays the distribution of aid.
“Fuel is a key factor for everything: transportation, cooking, power plants in hospitals and pumping water,” he added.
Historically, Cuba has depended on Venezuelan oil to sustain its electrical system and social programs. But with the fall of Maduro and the suspension of shipments from Caracas, the situation, which had already worsened over the past year, became even more critical.
According to data from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, between January and September 2025, Mexico sent 19,200 barrels per day to Cuba, although these data later dropped significantly in the last quarter, while Russia contributed about 7,500.
However, Mexican energy policy prioritizes domestic refining and reducing exports. In December 2025, Pemex exported only 368,000 barrels per day, the lowest volume since 1990. The government’s goal is to refine 1.2 million barrels per day for domestic consumption, which limits the ability to sustain shipments to Cuba.
Mexico will maintain humanitarian aid to Cuba despite tariff threats from the US
Solidarity and diplomatic tensions
Sheinbaum has insisted that Mexico will not abandon Cuba, although he acknowledged that Washington’s threats complicate the picture.
“Where they need us, we will be there, because Mexico is a country and a supportive people,” he stated.
The president stressed that Cuba is up to date with its payments and that humanitarian aid exceeds commercial sales in volume. “What is sent for humanitarian aid is much more than what is sold by contract,” he said, without offering figures.
The diplomatic tension occurs in the midst of the negotiations of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC).
Trump has warned that he could withdraw his country from the agreement and negotiate bilateral treaties, increasing pressure on Mexico, whose bilateral trade with the US power reached a historical record of $802.3 billion between January and November 2025, which consolidated the Aztec country as the main trading partner of the world’s largest economy.
