The lawyer Luis Carlos Battista from FitzGeorge Law acknowledged a contradiction that defines the energy crisis in Cuba: while the regime lacks fuel to power hospitals or to ensure electricity for its citizens, it has found fuel to transport people by bus to political events and to keep its repressive forces operational.
The reflection arises in the context of the sanction announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio against CUPET, the Cuban state oil company, which blocks its access to the international financial system and effectively halts fuel shipments from the United States.
In an interview with CiberCuba, Battista agreed with journalist Tania Costa that while the government claims it has no fuel to provide electricity to the people, it does have fuel to send buses filled with people to political events and for police patrols that go out to suppress protests.
"The fuel for the patrols has run out, the private jets are no more, the official cars are gone; in other words, that part is also coming to an end," Tania emphasized.
Battista acknowledges that the sanction has two simultaneous and inseparable interpretations.
The first one, the one everyone knows: lack of access to water, prolonged blackouts, surgeries postponed in dark hospitals...
This paradox aligns with Marco Rubio's own words when announcing the sanction, where he accused the regime of diverting energy resources for private jets for the Castro family, buses for "fake protests," and tourist hotels, while Cubans suffered from blackouts.
Battista also warns about a collateral effect that is already visible: "More and more airlines are cutting flights to Cuba as a result of the lack of jet fuel. Therefore, people who need to leave Cuba or go to Cuba for any reason are undeniably seeing their plans affected."
The lawyer acknowledged the impact of the measure on the Cuban population, which is already suffering from an electricity generation deficit that reached a record of 2,153 MW in May.
"It is unknown how long this agony may last. One way or another, I always think about the civilian population, my family, my friends, and I know they are going through a very difficult time," he emphasized.
In response to the question of whether the solution would be to privatize CUPET, the lawyer was cautious yet open: "I do not believe it is the solution; it is a solution. It is possible to privatize CUPET."
Battista explained that it is technically possible: "There are many ways, that is, to create another entity with private capital, public capital, or to create another entity that is completely private. There is indeed a possibility."
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