Cuba needs eight fuel ships per month to sustain its economy and electricity generation, but from December 8, 2025, to the end of April 2026, it only received one, as revealed by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, during the Mesa Redonda this Wednesday.
The minister was explicit about the magnitude of the deficit: eight monthly ships are needed. "For the economy and generation, 8 ships of all fuels, not just this, but all fuels: gasoline, diesel, liquefied gas, crude oil, because we need crude. Do the math, in the end, it's 5 million tons of fuel that we need above our production."
The chain of events that led to the collapse began on December 3, 2025, when U.S. forces seized the tanker Skipper in Caribbean waters, a vessel carrying approximately one million barrels headed partially to Cuba.
"On December 3, the first ship was seized. The ship is called the Skipper, and it was carrying a million barrels of fuel. And on December 8, the last ship entered... Since then, we have not received any more fuel until now," stated De la O Levy.
On January 29, 2026, Executive Order 14380 by Donald Trump formalized the energy blockade, imposing secondary tariffs on any country that exported oil or derivatives to Cuba.
The effect was immediate: Mexico suspended its shipments from Pemex on January 9, and Venezuela halted its shipments following the capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier that month.
"A fuel supply to Cuba from any country can impact the entire economy of that country. Not only because of energy and oil, but also due to tariffs on all products from that country," explained the official to illustrate the extent of the sanctions.
However, after the sanctions were lifted, the only relief came on March 31 with the Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, which unloaded 100,000 metric tons of crude oil at the Matanzas Super Tanker Base in 90 hours.
The crude was transported by coastal shipping to the Camilo Cienfuegos refinery, where finished products were ready within 48 hours, and on April 17, the simultaneous start of distributed generation began, which partially reduced power outages.
However, the minister warned that this shipment is insufficient: Cuba distributes 800 tons of fuel oil daily, half of the 1,600 tons needed to minimize power outages.
"With just this ship, we have supplies until the end of this month. This means that we only have a few days left, because today is already April 22," pointed out De la O Levy.
The maximum generation deficit was recorded on April 1: 1,945 megawatts, with a mere availability of 1,202 MW against a demand of 3,050 MW.
The minister acknowledged that Cuba is currently operating at 50% of its actual capabilities: "We are working at 50% of our potential. It's clear that the issue of fuel is currently the most significant factor affecting electricity generation."
And, without beating around the bush, he once again justified the crisis with the U.S. sanctions, without acknowledging the lack of investment in the Cuban energy sector, which has been obsolete and in decline for decades. "The impact of that energy blockade has been brutal for the country," he said.
A second Russian oil tanker, the Universal, carrying approximately 251,000 barrels of diesel, is estimated to arrive on April 29. However, another announced vessel, the Sea Horse, was redirected to Trinidad and Tobago under pressure from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.
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