Mexico has become a key oil supplier to Cuba, filling a gap left by Venezuela’s declining exports under US sanctions and economic crisis.
MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country has become a “major provider” of oil to Cuba.
She made the statement as Cuba’s traditional supplier, Venezuela, struggles under US sanctions and economic crisis.
“Clearly Mexico has become a major provider,” Sheinbaum said on Wednesday.
She added that Mexico was not currently sending Cuba “more oil than it had historically.”
Her comments follow a Financial Times report that Mexican oil exports to Cuba surpassed Venezuela’s in 2025.
Sheinbaum declined to confirm the report, citing a lack of current data from state oil company Pemex.
She stated Mexico has supplied oil to Cuba for “many years” and for “various reasons.”
These include export contracts and shipments classed as “humanitarian aid.”
Mexico has historically not published details of its contracts with Cuba or revealed how Havana pays.
Venezuela has supplied cheap oil to Cuba since 2000 under leftist leadership, receiving Cuban doctors and teachers in return.
Venezuelan oil production has declined in recent years due to economic crisis and US sanctions imposed in 2019.
Washington deposed Venezuela’s president last weekend and demanded control of the country’s crude exports.
The US has also blockaded and seized some Venezuelan oil tankers in recent weeks.
Venezuela once sent 90,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba, according to researcher Jorge Pinon from the University of Texas.
That figure has fallen to an average of about 30,000 barrels per day in recent years.
Cuba, with a population of 10 million, relies on cut-price oil from allies to survive a US embargo.
The island has suffered five major power blackouts since late 2024 and experiences daily electricity shortages.
