Mexico Sends New Aid Shipment to Cuba

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that Mexico will send a new humanitarian aid shipment to Cuba as the island faces worsening economic and humanitarian conditions linked to intensified US sanctions and oil restrictions.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Sheinbaum confirmed that a Mexican aid vessel was departing for Cuba carrying humanitarian supplies, stressing that the shipment did not include oil.

Since February, Mexico has delivered several aid consignments to Cuba, including food, medicines, and personal care products, as shortages continue to affect daily life across the Caribbean nation.

The latest assistance comes as Cuba struggles with severe economic disruption following tighter US restrictions on oil supplies. Washington has maintained an embargo on the communist-run island since 1962 and, since January, has imposed additional measures limiting fuel deliveries, reportedly allowing only one Russian tanker to enter the country.

The restrictions have contributed to widespread energy shortages and economic paralysis in Cuba, which has a population of approximately 9.6 million people and is experiencing one of its worst financial crises in decades.

Sheinbaum said Mexico intends to continue providing humanitarian support but did not disclose further details regarding future shipments.

Last week, United Nations experts warned that the US embargo on Cuba amounts to “energy deprivation” with serious consequences for human rights and economic development on the island.

The experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in an independent capacity, stated that the sanctions not only disrupt daily life but also undermine access to a broad range of fundamental rights.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced tougher sanctions against Cuba, describing the island nation as an “extraordinary threat” to US national security.

The new sanctions reportedly target foreign banks dealing with the Cuban government, along with individuals and entities linked to sectors including energy and mining, as well as those accused of serious human rights violations.