Sheinbaum Defies Trump’s "Oil Blockade": Mexico Pledges Humanitarian Aid to Cuba Amid U.S. National Emergency Declaration

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced plans to send urgent humanitarian aid, including food and essential supplies, to Cuba this week, directly challenging President Donald Trump’s efforts to isolate the Caribbean island. Following Trump’s demand that Mexico halt all oil shipments to Havana, Sheinbaum asserted that her government intends to handle the matter "diplomatically for humanitarian reasons," maintaining that energy exports remain a sovereign decision for Mexico.

The tension escalated after Trump signed an executive order declaring a "National Emergency" regarding Cuba, labeling the regime an "extraordinary threat" due to its alleged ties with Russia, China, and Iran. This order authorizes the U.S. to impose retaliatory tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba—a move primarily targeting Mexico, which has become Havana’s primary energy lifeline since the fall of Venezuela's Maduro in early January. While Trump claims he is seeking a "deal" with a "failed state," Mexico warns that such pressure could trigger a large-scale humanitarian crisis on the island.