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The Cuban government ultimately acknowledged that the oil transported by the vessel seized by the United States off the coast of Venezuela was destined for the Island, openly denouncing that the U.S. operation prevents "hydrocarbon supplies to Cuba."
The admission appears in statements from Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez as well as in an official note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), which heightened political tension following the naval operation led by Washington.
The accusation from Havana
Rodríguez published a harsh statement on X in which he described the U.S. operation as an "act of piracy and maritime terrorism" in international waters in the Caribbean, near Venezuela.
According to him, the seizure seriously violates International Law, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.
He stated that this operation is part of Washington's escalation to prevent Venezuela from freely using and trading its natural resources, "including hydrocarbon supplies to Cuba," a mention that confirms for the first time that the seized oil was intended for the Island's energy system.
He also attributed the worsening of the Cuban energy crisis and its impact on the daily lives of the population to the United States.
The MINREX issued an official statement reiterating this argument and added that the action continues the pressure policy applied during Trump's first term, when the United States targeted vessels transporting Venezuelan fuel to Cuba.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the situation "persists and is now worsening with the use of military force."
The regime's reaction comes amid a complex regional scenario and after President Donald Trump confirmed that his government will keep the oil from the captured tanker by forces from the Coast Guard, the FBI, HSI, and personnel from the Department of War.
The operation, initially revealed by Associated Press and further detailed by Axios, represents one of the most significant blows against the sanctioned oil transport network connecting Caracas and Havana.
The U.S. version and the twist revealed by Axios
The operation was publicly acknowledged on Wednesday by President Trump, who described it as "the largest oil tanker ever captured," and stated that the operation was carried out without incidents.
Hours later, Axios revealed that the ship, a VLCC with a capacity of over 320,000 tons of crude oil, was transporting oil destined for Cuba and was part of an illegal network that moved sanctioned crude from Venezuela and Iran.
The U.S. outlet added that the shipment was part of a scheme in which Cuba would resell Venezuelan oil on the black market to Asia, involving - according to its sources - relatives of Raúl Castro.
He emphasized that the seizure represented a "double blow": to Nicolás Maduro's finances and to the energy interests of the Cuban regime.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi explained that the vessel had been under sanctions for years and was linked to a network associated with the funding of international terrorist organizations.
It was confirmed that the operation was carried out by the FBI, HSI, and the Coast Guard with support from the U.S. military, and that the investigation will continue to curb sanctioned oil trafficking.
Cuba's Previous Reactions and New American Sanctions
Before acknowledging the actual destination of the shipment, Cuba had already publicly protested, with the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel denouncing it as an "act of piracy" and expressing "full support" for Maduro.
Chancellor Rodríguez had done the same, although he did not acknowledge the connection of the shipment to the Island. That acknowledgment finally came with the MINREX statement this Friday.
Washington, for its part, confirmed that the ship will be transferred to a U.S. port and simultaneously announced new sanctions from the Department of the Treasury against three relatives of Cilia Flores and six companies linked to the transportation of Venezuelan oil.
The seizure marks a new point of friction in the relationship between the United States, Cuba, and Venezuela, and brings scrutiny to the energy structure that supports the government of the Island.
According to the official Cuban discourse itself, the retention of the cargo will have direct consequences on its already deteriorated electrical system and on the daily life of a country plunged into the worst energy crisis in years.
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