Russia evacuates its tourists from Cuba due to collapse from fuel shortages

The fuel crisis hitting Cuba hard continues to produce visible consequences on the island: two Russian airlines are planning to evacuate their tourists in the coming days due to the severe shortage of aircraft fuel, and once these flights are completed, they will temporarily suspend their operations until the supply stabilizes.

According to Reuters, Russia's civil aviation regulatory agency, Rosaviatsia, stated that the companies Rossiya, part of the Aeroflot group, and Severny Veter (Nordwind) will fly to Cuba to transport Russian tourists currently in the Caribbean country and will then suspend their services while the jet fuel shortage persists.

The shortage of jet fuel in Cuba has prompted authorities to warn international airlines that jet fuel will no longer be available on the island, leading to cancellations and adjustments in flights for several companies.

Rosaviatsia emphasized that the return operations for Russian tourists will take place “in the coming days” and that after these repatriation flights, the routes will be suspended until the fuel crisis for aircraft subsides, as reported by France24.

The effects on flights, which directly impact tourism—the main source of income for the Caribbean nation—have also led the Spanish airlines Iberia and Air Europa to take other measures such as adding additional stops to refuel their planes.

On Tuesday, Air Canada, based in Montreal, announced that in the coming days it would send empty flights to pick up and repatriate thousands of customers in Cuba, after which it will also suspend air routes to the Latin American country for at least a month, until March 11, according to a notice to pilots published last Sunday night.

Although Cuba was already facing a severe energy crisis, the situation has deteriorated to the point of nearing a critical scenario following the decision of the President of the United States to block the shipment of oil from Venezuela, which had been its main ally and supplier until then, after the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3.

Washington's decision also includes the imposition of tariffs on any country that attempts to cover the deficit of crude oil and fuels, a warning that prompted Mexico to withdraw the energy support it was providing to the island following the arrest of the Chavista leader.