Russia gets Trump’s OK to send 1,000 barrels of oil to Cuba — NYT
Oil tanker (Photo: Getty Images)
The US Coast Guard allowed a Russian tanker loaded with crude oil to reach Cuba. This will provide Havana with a critically needed energy supply after a prolonged blockade, according to The New York Times sources.
About the Russian tanker
According to MarineTraffic, a vessel data provider, the tanker, carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of oil and owned by Russia, was near Cuba on Sunday.
Traveling at a speed of 12 knots, the ship was expected to enter Cuban waters by Sunday evening. The tanker could reach its intended destination, Matanzas in Cuba, by Tuesday.
The US Coast Guard has two patrol boats in the region that could have attempted to intercept the Russian tanker. However, the Trump administration did not order these vessels to act, an anonymous US official said.
Why this happened
Analysts believe the arrival of the Russian ship will help ease Cuba’s energy crisis, as the island’s oil reserves are on the verge of depletion.
It would also reduce pressure on the Cuban government, which is facing an imminent economic crisis and escalating threats from Washington. In addition, it sends a signal that Cuba can, for the time being, continue to rely on its long-time ally, Russia.
What preceded this
Since January, the administration of US President Donald Trump has effectively imposed an oil blockade around Cuba, threatening tariffs on countries that supply fuel to the island.
According to The New York Times, the US oil blockade has been putting pressure on Cuba, causing daily power outages, severe gasoline shortages, rising prices, and a deterioration in healthcare services.
This policy has drawn international criticism, including from the United Nations, which considers that the US is causing a humanitarian crisis in Cuba.
At the same time, White House officials publicly threaten the Cuban government while secretly pressuring it to remove President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
US pressure on Cuba
A Russian oil tanker recently en route to Cuba had turned back following warnings from the US, according to media reports.
Shortly after the operation in Venezuela, Trump began talking about seizing Cuba, and a similar statement was recently made again. He said that Washington’s next target after the war in Iran would be Cuba.
