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Cuba has accumulated a debt of over 1.5 billion dollars with Mexico for the exports of crude oil and diesel that the Latin American country made between May and November of last year, according to calculations by energy sector analyst Ramses Pech.
According to the expert, the total amount owed is approximately 27.5 billion Mexican pesos, equivalent to about 1.54 billion dollars, a figure that matches the budget that Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) will allocate this year for refining, stated Reforma.
During that period, Mexico exported to Cuba approximately 12.4 million barrels of Istmo crude oil and 5.3 million barrels of diesel, which represents an estimated value of 27.569 billion Mexican pesos (about 1.545 billion dollars), according to the analysis based on data from the ImportKey platform.
The study details that the debt for crude oil amounts to 14.336 billion pesos (approximately 806 million dollars), while the amount for diesel would be 13.233 billion pesos (around 744 million dollars).
The calculations were made using prices without discounts and an exchange rate of 17.8 pesos per dollar.
Ramses Pech also warned that Mexico has lost approximately 9,262 million pesos (around 520 million dollars) in taxes due to the non-application of IEPS and VAT on fuel shipments to the island.
The analyst explained that shipments of crude oil and fuels to Cuba are often regarded by Mexico as donations or subsidized supplies, which has allowed the Cuban regime to receive energy without immediate payments or transparent commercial agreements.
The revelation of this debt comes at a time of increasing pressure on the Cuban government, amid a deep energy and economic crisis.
However, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, assured this Wednesday that her country "will always be there" to support Cuba with oil and humanitarian aid, amid the energy crisis that the island is experiencing due to the reduction of Venezuelan supplies and the United States embargo.
“If Mexico can help create better conditions for Cuba, we will always be there. It is a relationship with the Cuban people who live in very difficult circumstances,” said Sheinbaum during her daily press conference, as reported by EFE.
The decision of the president of Mexico comes in a context of warning from the U.S. president, Donald Trump, that “there will be no more oil or money for Cuba”.
On the other hand, Mexico took a step that until a few days ago was only discussed behind closed doors: PEMEX canceled a shipment of crude oil bound for Cuba, in a clear indication that the political pressure from the United States is beginning to translate into concrete decisions that directly affect the already fragile energy situation on the Island.
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