Díaz-Canel thanks Russia for the oil shipment but acknowledges that it is insufficient

Miguel Díaz-Canel expressed his gratitude to Russia on Wednesday for the recent shipment of oil to Cuba, although he acknowledged that the cargo is insufficient given the severe energy crisis the country is facing.

In a message posted on the social network X, the president expressed his gratitude to the government of Vladimir Putin and to the crew of the tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, highlighting the "proven friendship" between the two countries in difficult times.

Díaz-Canel stated that the fuel will help alleviate the situation in the coming weeks, but he admitted that it is not enough amid the current scarcity, which has led to prolonged blackouts across much of the island.

The leader also defended Cuba's right to import fuel without external pressures and assured that work is already underway on the unloading, processing, and distribution of the crude oil.

The Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin made its entry this Tuesday into the bay of Matanzas, becoming the first vessel with a cargo of oil to arrive in Cuba in nearly three months.

"In Matanzas, the Russian tanker Anatoli Kolodkin is present. At this hour, the Russian cargo ship bringing solidarity to Cuba is entering the bay of Matanzas. It is the first tanker to arrive on the Island since Trump signed the executive order and imposed the blockade on fuel imports to the country," wrote Pedro Rizo Martínez.

Canal Caribe, the Cuban state television, presented the arrival of the tanker at the Matanzas supertanker base as a victory against the U.S. embargo, neglecting to mention that the shipment had been previously negotiated and authorized by Washington.

What the official coverage omitted is that Russia discussed the shipment with the United States beforehand, and that Washington authorized the ship's entry for humanitarian reasons, particularly to alleviate the energy crisis affecting hospitals and essential services.

Additionally, the U.S. administration also authorized the supply of fuel for generators distributed across the island, as part of a specific humanitarian concession.

The vessel, which docked with 100,000 tons of crude oil, equivalent to 730,000 barrels, is merely a temporary relief for Cuba, which is suffering from one of the worst energy crises in its history.