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As geopolitical tensions simmer between US and Venezuela after the capture of the nation's former president Nicolas Maduro, a tanker carrying around 85,000 to 90,000 barrels of oil arrived in Cuba's largest city ,Havana from Mexico on Saturday, 10 January.
According to shipping reports and vessel movements tracked by Bloomberg, the tanker Ocean Mariner was last seen enroute to the Cuban capital at 2.39 p.m. UTC on Friday and was expected to arrive at its destination at 3 a.m.
The vessel departed the Pajaritos Petrochemical complex, operated by state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), in Mexico’s Veracruz state on 5 January, AP reported earlier.
Cuba on edge?
The oil shipment from Mexico to the Cuban city comes at a time when US seizures of Venezuela-linked oil tankers have surged – prompting concerns in the Caribbean island country about whether its government and economy would survive.
On Friday, 9 January, the US military seized a fifth oil tanker as part of what the military called efforts to target sanctions-busting vessels traveling to and from Venezuela.
According to a report by ABC News, experts have warned that a sudden halt in Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba could lead to widespread social unrest and mass migration following the US attacks against Venezuela – which also saw the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
Mexico-Cuba oil ties
Mexico has become a key supplier of oil to the Caribbean island after the US captured Maduro, generating criticism from American lawmakers and further straining ties between Sheinbaum’s administration and President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that Mexico will continue supplying oil to Cuba, describing the shipments in part as humanitarian aid.
“With the current situation in Venezuela, Mexico has become an important supplier,” she told reporters at her daily press conference on Wednesday. “Previously it was Venezuela, but it’s part of what has historically been sent," Bloomberg quoted the Mexican president as saying.
Sheinbaum said some of Mexico’s oil exports to Cuba are covered by contractual obligations.
'Going to be purchasing ONLY…’
Earlier, President Trump said he has been informed that Venezuela "is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products" with the money from the deal with the US to export Venezuelan oil.
"In other words, Venezuela is committing to doing business with the United States of America as their principal partner – A wise choice, and a very good thing for the people of Venezuela, and the United States," Trump had posted on his social media platform.
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