President Sheinbaum Says Mexico Has Stopped Sending Oil to Cuba

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday her government had temporarily halted oil shipments to Cuba, but gave an ambiguous statement, saying the halt was part of a general fluctuation in oil supplies and was a "sovereign decision" not made under pressure from the United States.

President Sheinbaum responded to a question about whether state oil company Pemex had halted oil shipments to Cuba, following increased pressure from US President Donald Trump for Mexico to distance itself from the Cuban government, although US officials have not publicly asked Mexico to stop the oil.

"Pemex makes decisions in the contractual relationship it has with Cuba," President Sheinbaum said at a conference, launching Al Arabiya from The Associated Press (28/1).

"Suspension is a sovereign decision and is taken when necessary," he said.

President Sheinbaum's statement comes as President Trump seeks to isolate Cuba and further increase pressure on the island, a longtime foe under strict economic sanctions from Washington.

President Trump said the Cuban government was ready to fall, and that the island would no longer receive oil shipments from Venezuela after a US military operation ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In an increasingly deep energy and economic crisis, Cuba relies heavily on foreign aid and oil shipments from allies such as Mexico, Russia and previously Venezuela.

Mexico has sought to balance its long-standing support for the Cuban government with pressure from President Trump to have Latin American leaders follow Trump's vision for the region.

President Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that Mexico would continue to show solidarity with Havana, but did not elaborate on what kind of support Mexico would offer.

Mexico itself is known to have faced pressure from Washington, with President Trump threatening to take military action against Mexican drug cartels.

Mexico last week transferred dozens of suspected cartel members to the United States for trial. They are wanted by the Trump administration.

President Sheinbaum used similar language then as she did on Tuesday, saying the move was based on sovereignty and autonomy.

It is known that Mexican oil has long been a vital route for Cuba. In its latest report, Pemex stated that it had sent nearly 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba from January to September 30, 2025.

That month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mexico City. After that, Jorge Piñon, an expert at the University of Texas Energy Institute who tracks shipments using satellite technology, said the figure had dropped to about 7,000 barrels.

President Sheinbaum has said for weeks that she will provide clear data on exports to Cuba, but has not done so. The Cuban government and Pemex did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Piñon said that although the future of shipments from Mexico is still uncertain, what is clear is that President Sheinbaum is "walking a tightrope" between her political rhetoric in favor of Cuba and the upcoming negotiations for a trade agreement with the US.

Analysts now expect further pressure from Washington to halt the shipments permanently, given President Trump's escalating demands that Mexico deliver stronger results in the fight against drug cartels.