Imported fuel starts to arrive at private businesses in Cuba

Members of the limited private sector in Cuba confirmed this Thursday that they have started to receive imported fuel on the island, even amidst the oil blockade imposed by the United States, which has cut off key supplies and worsened the already deep energy crisis in the Caribbean country.

In conversations with the EFE agency, several small business owners, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated that imported fuel tanks are already arriving on cargo ships, albeit in very limited volumes and far from what the national economy needs to reverse the energy suffocation caused by Washington's measures.

These private operations are partly in response to an announcement made last November by the Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva, who stated that "foreign and joint venture companies would be allowed to import their own fuel 'when necessary'."

So far, the Cuban state held the absolute monopoly on the importation and distribution of oil and fuels, controlling both the supplies and the retail sale of the derivatives within the island.

According to the entrepreneurs consulted, the import of fuel is carried out in standardized containers aboard merchant ships and can come from both the United States and other countries in the region, although the logistical process—which includes safety certifications and storage in authorized facilities—tends to be slow.

Cuban authorities have emphasized that fuel imported by individuals is intended exclusively for business self-consumption and that resale is not allowed despite the extreme pressure the country faces due to a lack of supplies.

The announcement comes at a time of unprecedented energy constraints for Cuba, which heavily relies on oil imports to generate electricity and operate key sectors of its economy.

The disruption of shipments from Venezuela starting in January and the threats of tariffs on countries that supply crude oil to the island have worsened a crisis that was already impacting transportation, tourism, production, and basic services across the territory.

While the arrival of imported fuel to the private sector offers partial relief, analysts agree that these amounts are not sufficient to reverse the overall energy situation and that Cuba continues to face prolonged blackouts, transportation shortages, and difficulties in maintaining essential services nationwide.