All articles tagged with #cuba
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel told NBC News he will not resign, defending his leadership as Cuba faces economic and political pressures, with public events like the Nuestra America convoy underscoring the ongoing political discourse.
A Russian-flagged tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, docked at Matanzas, Cuba with 730,000 barrels of oil—the first such delivery there in three months—after the United States allowed passage amid the energy blockade.
President Trump said he does not plan to block a Russian oil tanker delivering about 730,000 barrels of crude to Cuba, a surprising shift as Cuba faces severe fuel shortages. The shipment, linked to Russia and discussed amid ongoing sanctions, could provide a temporary lifeline and suggests possible renewed U.S.–Cuba engagement, though officials say sanctions policy remains and future humanitarian shipments will be considered case by case. Analysts view the move as potentially humanitarian relief, a sign of talks resuming, or a shift in priorities, but not a long-term solution to Cuba’s energy needs.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a Russian government‑owned tanker carrying about 730,000 barrels of crude was allowed to reach Cuba for humanitarian reasons, on a case‑by‑case basis and without a formal change in sanctions policy, as Cuba’s energy grid remains strained under the blockade and U.S. policy is being tested against broader geopolitical pressures.
Cuba is preparing to receive a sanctioned Russian tanker carrying roughly 730,000 barrels of oil, the island’s first such delivery this year, as it grapples with an energy crisis under the U.S. blockade; Mexico is weighing humanitarian aid and potential commercial fuel arrangements with Cuba as signals shift regarding Cuba’s energy needs.
A Russian tanker carrying 100,000 tons of crude arrived in Cuba, with Moscow saying the move was discussed with Washington as Havana faces severe fuel shortages amid a de facto U.S. blockade; Trump later said he had no problem with Russian oil deliveries, signaling a potential easing of tensions and providing a critical energy lifeline for Cuba amid dwindling Venezuelan supplies and ongoing power blackouts.
Trump said he has no problem with a Russian tanker delivering oil to Cuba despite the U.S. blockade, with the Anatoly Kolodkin carrying about 730,000 barrels near Cuba and expected to reach Matanzas. The move highlights Cuba’s ongoing energy crisis and U.S.–Russia tensions, as sanctions remain in place; Trump suggested aiding Cubans is more important than regime change, while separate humanitarian aid convoys were also delivering assistance to the island.
A Russian oil tanker carrying about 730,000 barrels of crude is approaching Cuba’s Matanzas, signaling a push against the U.S. oil blockade and amid Washington’s threats of tariffs. Cuba, already suffering a severe energy crisis with no oil since January, could gain diesel from the cargo—roughly 250,000 barrels after processing, enough to cover around 12.5 days of demand—forcing a decision on whether to prioritize power generation or transportation as fuel shortages continue. Intercepting the vessel at this stage appears unlikely.
The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying about 650,000 barrels of Urals crude, was near Cuba and could discharge at Matanzas after the US reportedly allowed the shipment—a move that could ease Havana’s three-month oil shortage amid a de facto blockade. The development comes as Washington has temporarily eased some Russia sanctions to facilitate oil flows and follows past US actions that blocked Venezuelan shipments to Cuba, with another Russian vessel rerouted to Venezuela.
Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from southern Mexico, with at least eight people aboard, landed in Havana after the Mexican navy located them amid bad weather; convoy coordinator Adnaan Stumo said delays were weather-related and the Nuestra América Convoy said the mission to deliver aid to Cubans remains on track.
Two humanitarian sailboats carrying aid from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, arrived in Havana after the Mexican navy located the missing vessels amid bad weather. About eight people were aboard; organizers said the crew is safe and the convoy will continue delivering aid to Cubans, underscoring solidarity across borders as aid flows increase despite longstanding U.S. tensions and Cuba’s power crisis.
Mexico launched a search-and-rescue mission after two sailboats carrying food, medicine and other aid vanished at sea while part of the Nuestra América Convoy delivering humanitarian relief to Cuba. Nine people were aboard the boats, which departed Isla Mujeres and were expected to reach Havana; contact with them was lost a few hours after departure, prompting a coordinated effort involving the navy, maritime patrol aircraft, and international maritime centers in Poland, France, Cuba and the United States. The full convoy carried around 30 tons of aid, including solar panels, amid Cuba’s electricity crisis worsened by a U.S.-led oil blockade, with Cuban President Díaz-Canel expressing concern as authorities continue the search for crew from Poland, France, Cuba and the U.S.
Mexico’s navy is searching for two vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba that sailed from Isla Mujeres on March 20; with crews of multiple nationalities aboard, there has been no communication or confirmation of Havana arrival, triggering international search-and-rescue coordination and a Navy appeal for sightings as the vessels are part of the Nuestra America Convoy aiding Cuba amid a humanitarian crisis.
Cuban President Diaz-Canel pledged to do everything possible to locate two missing sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico to Havana as part of the Our America convoy; nine people were believed aboard when they disappeared and Mexican authorities activated search-and-rescue procedures. The mission, organized by Progressive International and supported by international activists, aims to spotlight Cuba’s hardships under a US blockade that has left fuel and supplies scarce.
Russia confirms fuel shipments to Cuba as a Russian-flagged tanker nears the Caribbean, signaling Moscow’s willingness to pressure Havana amid an intensified oil embargo; analysts say the move is geopolitical signaling rather than purely humanitarian aid, and could supply roughly 730,000 barrels to Cuba for weeks, but would not solve the island’s longer-term crisis. The United States faces a difficult choice between enforcing the blockade—potentially escalating tensions with Russia—or allowing the shipment to proceed, a dilemma made harder by international law around seizures at sea.