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A Chinese company with a presence in Havana is importing fuel to Cuba to sell it in dollars to mipymes and other non-state businesses, amid the worst energy crisis the country has faced in years and despite warnings from Washington against those who trade crude with the island.
The Chinese company Fujian Trebor Trading Company -based in Miramar- offers gasoline and diesel in volumes of 25,000 liters.
According to the offer, the fuel is sold at $2.50 per liter if the buyer provides an empty isotank, and at $3.45 per liter if they also purchase the 25,000-liter tank.
The operation came to light through advertisements disseminated on social media and buying and selling groups related to the private sector, which were initially reported by Diario de Cuba.
The Chinese company, which appears online as a wholesale shoe distributor, guarantees delivery 21 days after payment is made.
Sale in dollars and with state backing
Several SMEs have already begun to receive imported fuel, and the marketing has the approval of the Cuban government.
Negotiations, however, are not conducted directly between the private entity and the foreign company, as revealed by the portal 14ymedio.
The process must be conducted through Quimimport, a state-owned company dedicated to the importation of chemical products.
Those interested must "qualify as clients" and await the corresponding "commercial proposal."
Additionally, multiple technical and safety requirements are necessary.
Among the requirements is a Microlocation Certificate issued by Physical Planning—indicating the exact coordinates of the location where the tank will be situated—a certification from the Fire Protection Agency (APCI) of the Fire Department, and a tank capacity and standardization certificate issued by Metrology, in case the tank is rented.
A sworn statement is also required to confirm that the fuel will be for personal use, along with the deposit contract when the tank belongs to a state entity.
Authorities have insisted that fuel imported by individuals is exclusively for personal use and that resale is not permitted, which, in practice, limits the impact of the measure on the general population and restricts it to companies with the ability to pay in foreign currency.
Fuel from the U.S. and other countries
According to a confirmation last week from the agency EFE -which cited business sources on the condition of anonymity- the fuel comes from both the United States and other countries in the region and is transported in standardized stainless steel tanks aboard cargo ships.
The operation is striking in the context of the White House warnings about imposing tariffs or penalties on countries and companies that supply oil to Cuba.
Nevertheless, the Chinese company would be operating normally and publicly announcing its rates.
Diario de Cuba also confirmed that, although Fujian Trebor Trading Co. is not listed as a registered company in the United States, it has been exporting goods to American companies since 2007, according to data from trade platforms based on customs records. Among the entry ports are Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Honolulu.
A measure announced since November
The mechanism would materialize the announcement made last November by the Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, who stated that foreign and mixed companies would soon be allowed to import their own fuel "when necessary."
More recently, on February 7, the minister himself explained that the Government was enabling and authorizing any company with purchasing capacity to acquire fuel, in the context of the so-called “petroleum blockade.”
Until now, the Cuban state held the absolute monopoly on the importation of oil and its derivatives, as well as their domestic marketing. The partial opening occurs in a context of acute scarcity.
Energy crisis at its most critical point
Since December, Cuba has stopped receiving oil from Venezuela, and in January, shipments from Mexico also ceased. The last officially recorded import via tanker ships occurred on January 9, which has worsened the paralysis of transportation, blackouts, and the collapse of much of the economic and social activity.
In this context, the possibility of importing fuel in dollars opens a pathway for certain small and medium-sized enterprises – and entities linked to the state – to ensure their operations, albeit at elevated prices and under strict state supervision.
The measure, far from alleviating the structural crisis of the Cuban energy system, appears aimed at allowing actors with access to foreign currency to keep their activities operational, while the majority of the population continues to face shortages and prolonged blackouts.
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