The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, defended the shipments of oil to Cuba on Tuesday, describing them as a "sovereign decision" that addresses both national energy policy and humanitarian considerations.
During her morning press conference, the president explained that Pemex sets the conditions and timing for crude oil shipments, as part of the decisions that Mexico makes independently.
"As we have said, it is a sovereign decision and Pemex makes its own choices," he stated to the media.
Sheinbaum noted that the energy cooperation with Havana is not a recent development, but rather part of a policy sustained by several Mexican governments.
"Cuba has been under a blockade for far too many years, and this blockade has caused shortages on the island. Mexico has always been supportive, and Mexico will continue to be supportive," he emphasized.
Despite the journalists' insistence during the conference, Sheinbaum avoided clarifying whether Mexico will continue the shipments of crude oil to Cuba in the coming days.
The official did not confirm or deny the continued operations and merely reiterated that it is a "sovereign decision," in which Pemex and the federal government act according to their own, contractual, and humanitarian criteria, without providing further details about the immediate future of the affairs.
"It is decided (the decision) at the moment when it is necessary," Sheinbaum emphasized.
The response from the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, comes after the news portal Bloomberg reported that Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) canceled a shipment of crude oil bound for Cuba that was scheduled to arrive on the Island at the end of January.
According to that outlet, the state-run company removed from the official calendar the shipment planned for mid-month, which was interpreted as a sign that the political pressure from the United States is beginning to manifest in concrete decisions affecting the already fragile energy situation in Cuba.
Moreover, Reuters had previously reported that the Mexican government is reviewing whether to continue sending oil and fuels to Cuba due to concerns that this policy may provoke retaliation from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to three sources consulted by the agency, the review —which had not been made public— comes at a time when Mexican shipments have become a lifeline for the Island, following the disruption of Venezuelan supplies caused by recent events in that country.
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