Cuba desperately needs fuel after Donald Trump cut it off from oil. The US president threatens countries that will help Havana. Meanwhile, a Chinese tanker with Russian fuel is heading towards the island. The American blockade was previously criticized by Vladimir Putin.
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The Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse is currently in the Sargasso Sea and is scheduled to reach Cuba in early March. There are nearly 200,000 on board. barrels of Russian fuel loaded in the Mediterranean waters near Cyprus. This information is provided by Kpler, a maritime traffic analysis company.
Cuba is currently struggling with a serious energy crisis. Fuel shortages seriously hamper the daily functioning of residents. According to satellite photos, the lighting level on the island has dropped by as much as 50%.
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs appealed to postpone tourist trips to Cuba, emphasizing that it advises against unnecessary trips to the island. It indicated that lack of fuel and power outages cause communication restrictions and the risk of suspension of international flights.
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Adam Ziemienowicz / PAP / photos
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Donald Trump cut Cuba off from oil
The island, which produces only symbolic amounts of oil, is heavily dependent on imports. Cuba's situation worsened in early January when the United States, after the overthrow of Nicolas Maduro, ordered the interim government in Caracas to suspend oil supplies from Venezuela – Havana's previous main ally.
US President Donald Trump also threatened to impose tariffs on any country supplying fuel to Cuba. As a result of these actions, Mexico, one of the key suppliers, also stopped exports.
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China is not afraid of Donald Trump's threats? They sent a tanker
It is uncertain whether Sea Horse will be able to deliver fuel to Cuba without any problems. The tanker must overcome the American naval blockade. So far, the US Navy has detained at least nine ships suspected of illegally transporting sanctioned oil.
According to Bloomberg, if the situation does not change, Cuba's fuel supplies will be exhausted by the end of March. In January, the island received no oil supplies for the first time in a decade.
Putin criticizes US actions
The US blockade paralyzes the everyday life of Cubans. Russia, a Cuban ally for decades, recently described the fuel situation in Havana as “truly critical” and said it was actively discussing what assistance it could provide to the country.
“This is a special period, with new sanctions. You know what we think about this. We do not accept such a thing” Putin said last week during a meeting in the Kremlin with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS.
Energy crisis in Cuba
Cubans are trying to install solar panels in their homes, shops and vehicles to combat prolonged power outages.
The UN has warned that if Cuba's energy needs are not met, it could lead to a humanitarian crisis. The island, already struggling with severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine, has implemented rationing to protect essential services.
Russia, one of the last suppliers of crude oil to Cuba, is preparing to ship the raw material in the near future, the Izvestia newspaper reported last week.
