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President Sheinbaum defends Mexico’s right to supply oil to Cuba

By Thomson Reuters Mar 30, 2026 | 10:54 AM

MEXICO CITY, March 30 (Reuters) – Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday that her ​country has every right ‌to send fuel to Cuba, whether for humanitarian or commercial reasons.

Sheinbaum’s remarks came one day after U.S. ‌president ​Donald Trump ⁠softened his stance on ⁠the block of oil shipments to the Communist-run island and as a Russian oil ​tanker approached Havana.

The Mexican government “always seeks (to send) humanitarian aid, ⁠and it is ⁠in that context that ​we will make the decision,” ​Sheinbaum responded at her morning press ‌conference, in response to a question about fuel shipments to Cuba.

She did not specify ⁠or give a timeline for when Mexico could decide to send an ⁠oil ‌shipment to Cuba.

Sheinbaum also ⁠said that private companies ​in ‌Cuba, such as hotels, ​have ⁠approached the Mexican government to purchase oil from state-owned energy company Pemex.

(Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Raul Cortes; Editing by ​Emily Green)