Mexico avoids giving details about oil shipments to Cuba

"While Mexico has been doing this since 1993, as of 2024 these shipments have been carried out diligently as humanitarian aid in response to the island's energy crisis. Recent criticisms of these shipments by some U.S. members of congress have complicated the Mexican government's position. President Claudia Sheinbaum has offered some explanations, but the state-owned oil company, Pemex, has not provided a clear picture of the ships departing from its terminal in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, bound for Cuba."

"This Wednesday, the president elaborated on this narrative in response to reports that Mexico's state-owned oil company has suspended its crude oil shipment schedule to Cuba. She attempted to separate business dealings from emergency aid. The humanitarian aid will continue, as it does to other countries. Mexico has always shown solidarity with the entire world. They are sovereign decisions, she commented at her morning press conference."

"By making this distinction, the president has raised further questions about the Mexican crude oil being shipped to the island. The Bank of Mexico has recorded shipments of oil exported to Cuba by Pemex Mexico's sole oil supplier since 1993. Since then, these shipments have been modest, representing a very marginal figure in the Mexican state's accounts. That is, until October 2024. At that time, Cuba had been fa"

Mexico became the de facto largest supplier of hydrocarbons to Cuba after U.S. intervention in Venezuela. Shipments from Pemex to Cuba have occurred since 1993 but increased markedly beginning October 2024. The Mexican government characterizes shipments as either humanitarian aid or Pemex commercial contracts with Cuba. Pemex has not provided clear operational details about tankers leaving the Coatzacoalcos terminal. U.S. congressional criticism has complicated Mexico's position. President Claudia Sheinbaum affirmed that humanitarian aid will continue and described the decisions as sovereign, while the Bank of Mexico recorded that prior shipments were modest until the recent increase.

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