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Russia has launched an ambitious strategy to expand its influence in Latin America, with Mexico at the forefront.
The establishment of a logistical and commercial corridor connecting Yucatán, Cuba, and Moscow is the key component of a diplomatic and economic offensive that is already underway.
The Russian proposal includes a direct air route, energy cooperation—including nuclear—cultural participation, increasing investments, and business forums as a platform for consolidation.
But it is not just about Mexico: Cuba plays a crucial role as a strategic hinge and operational base in the triangle that Russia seeks to establish in the region.
In an interview with the Mexican outlet Proceso, Aleksey Valkov, director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, revealed the key pillars of this new roadmap aimed at consolidating a long-term regional architecture.
Cuba: The historical ally of the Kremlin on the continent
In this tripartite equation, Cuba is not merely a point of technical scale, but a central geopolitical piece.
Under the leadership of Miguel Díaz-Canel, Havana has maintained a close and stable alliance with Moscow since the Cold War, which is now being renewed through new forms of energy, technological, and military cooperation.
The Cuban stopover on the Moscow-Mexico air route is designed as a logistical, diplomatic, and cultural link center.
Its geographical position—in the heart of the Caribbean and a short distance from the Yucatán Peninsula—grants it a role as a regional platform for trade, investment, and Russian presence.
A strategic triangle: Yucatán-Cuba-Moscow
"The first step has a logistical and commercial component: the creation of a direct flight route between Moscow and Mexico, with a stopover in Havana," explains Valkov.
The idea is to build "an aerial highway for business", rather than a tourist connection.
The proposal has already been presented to members of the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and was formalized in April 2025, when a delegation of 300 Russian businesspeople and officials participated in a bilateral forum in Mexico.
According to Valkov, this event was "a very good step to strengthen bilateral dialogue" and will continue at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
In this logistical design, Cuba facilitates the technical and symbolic articulation of the corridor, representing the most stable and tested link between Latin America and Russia.
From there, customs operations, cargo flights, technological platforms, and even initiatives for educational and medical cooperation can be centralized, according to the mentioned source.
Energy and Technology: The Underlying Move
One of the pillars of this Russian offensive would be the energy sector.
Russia has expressed a strong interest in collaborating with Mexico on gas, oil, renewable energy, and nuclear energy.
Among the proposals is a potential agreement to supply uranium to the Laguna Verde nuclear plant and the incorporation of small modular reactor technology to electrify remote areas.
"Russia is celebrating 80 years of its nuclear industry. It can offer Mexico good technological energy potential (...) including the small modular reactor sector to provide economic and energy stability to remote areas," Valkov stated.
The Russian Embassy in Mexico announced on June 21 its readiness to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) and to share exploration and refining technologies.
Although the announcement was made from Mexico, Cuba could play a role as an intermediary storage or logistics redistribution hub in that energy supply.
Cuba and the Russian Military Maneuvers
The geostrategic relevance of Cuba was also evident in June 2024, when the Russian nuclear submarine Kazán and a fleet of warships conducted precision exercises in the Atlantic, departing from the port of Havana.
These maneuvers included simulations of long-range missile launches and anti-aircraft fire, less than 600 kilometers from the Yucatán Peninsula.
Although Moscow framed the operations as routine practices, the choice of Cuba as a base was an implicit declaration of its role in the defensive and strategic architecture of the Kremlin on the American continent.
Cultural diplomacy and 135 years of ties
In 2025, it will mark 135 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Russia.
But the cultural axis also includes Cuba, a nation with which Russia has maintained sustained exchanges in education, medicine, and sciences for decades.
"There is indeed a great interest in Mexico and its rich culture [...] Many people in Russia attend exhibitions and are very familiar with Frida Kahlo's paintings," commented Valkov, although the background of the cultural exchange is much broader.
In the case of Cuba, it is a consolidated legacy, with thousands of students and technicians trained in the former USSR and a deep symbolic connection to the Russian socialist project.
Mexico and the Indian Model: Expanding Investments
During the six-year term of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Russian investment in Mexico increased from 2.8 million dollars (2022) to 86.4 million (2024), according to official figures.
Russia aims to replicate the model it has already implemented in India: starting with a key sector (such as pharmaceuticals or energy) and advancing towards technology transfer and industrial consolidation.
The Yucatán-Cuba-Russia route is part of this strategy, where each point serves a specific function: Mexico as a receiver of investment, Cuba as a logistical and diplomatic hub, and Moscow as a technological and financial driver.
While Trump raises walls…
As Russia strengthens its presence in Latin America with this tripartite architecture, Donald Trump, during his second term, has intensified the militarization of the border with Mexico, reactivated a trade war, and has shifted his foreign policy focus toward the Middle East.
In contrast, Moscow is patiently building its sphere of influence in the Western Hemisphere.
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