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Cuba imported fuels and oils from the United States valued at $11,624,773 between January and March 2026, according to data published by the U.S.-Cuba Economic and Trade Council, a figure that reflects the accelerated growth of these transactions amid the worst energy crisis the Island has faced in decades.
The majority of those purchases took place in March: $8,788,501, which accounts for 75.6% of the total for the quarter, compared to just $88,746 recorded in January and over $2.2 million in February.
Shipments primarily originate from three districts: Houston-Galveston (Texas), Miami (Florida), and New Orleans (Louisiana), and are exclusively intended for the private sector in Cuba, under a federal license that excludes the government, the Armed Forces, and state entities of the regime.
The highest valued product in the quarter was the category of petroleum oils and derivatives of bituminous minerals, totaling $3,847,669 solely from Houston-Galveston in March.
Following them are light fuels, which amassed over 5.3 million dollars in the quarter, also primarily from the Houston-Galveston area.
Unleaded gasoline from Miami totaled $524,926 during the period, while leaded gasoline—primarily used by modern vehicles imported from the U.S.—reached $116,230.
Until the end of March, Reuters reported the shipment of approximately 30,000 barrels (4.8 million liters) to the non-state sector in Cuba, transported in about 200 ISO tank containers of 21,600 liters on board 61 container ships, mainly destined for the port of Mariel.
Among the private importers are bakers, wholesalers that supply small urban markets, and platforms like Supermarket23, linked to descendants of Commander Guillermo García.
This trade flow occurs against the backdrop of an unprecedented energy collapse.
Venezuela halted its subsidized oil shipments—about 26,000 barrels per day—following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026. Mexico (Pemex) suspended its shipments on January 9 under pressure from Washington.
Executive Order 14380, signed by Trump on January 29, 2026, imposed secondary tariffs on any country or entity that exported oil to Cuba, which deterred most international suppliers.
Cuba needs between 100,000 and 110,000 barrels daily to meet its total demand and covers about 40% with domestic production of heavy crude.
The deficit has caused power outages of up to 30 hours a day in large areas of the country, a halt in public transportation, and impacts on tourism.
The Office of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce published a guide in February 2026 that authorizes the export of American fuels to eligible private Cuban entities, explicitly excluding the Cuban state and its military structures.
The regime, for its part, authorized MIPYMES to import fuel, but with the mandatory intermediation of QUIMIMPORT or MAPRINTER and a CUPET rate of 0.12 dollars per liter, which raises the final cost to over 2.50 dollars per liter.
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