Cuba has rejected a request for diesel imports to its US Embassy amid Donald Trump‘s ongoing blockade of the Caribbean nation, labelling the president’s demands « shameless ». The Trump administration effectively halted vital oil exports to Cuba after the president suggested he could « do whatever he wants » with the island, including taking « imminent action » against it. The US Embassy has since requested Havana to allow it to import diesel for its generators, as the fuel shortage forces officials to weigh up staffing cuts, the Washington Post reports.
The Cuban Government turned down the request, describing it as « shameless » amid the blockade, which officials said was aimed at « causing the greatest possible harm to the Cuban economy, the wellbeing of the people and their standard of living ». A note from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations read: « The Ministry interprets as shameless the claim by the diplomatic mission to access a good as a privilege that it denies to the Cuban people. »
Cuba’s national power grid suffered a total collapse on Monday, plunging 11 million people into darkness as the country continues to weather a crippling energy crisis.
A US Coast Guard vessel intercepted a tanker carrying crude oil from Colombia that was headed to Cuba last month, with the consequent blockade leaving the island without any major fuel shipments since January 9.
Black market gasoline prices have surged to around $35 a gallon and daily power outages have become increasingly common.
Mr Trump called on Cuba to « make a deal before it’s too late » in January, before suggesting the US could launch « a friendly takeover » of the nation.
The Caribbean nation’s Communist Government has survived years of US sanctions, originally imposed to topple its first leader, Fidel Castro, following the fall of the US-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959.
While the US has had an embargo on Cuban imports since 1962, with long-term hostile relations between the two countries, tensions thawed somewhat under President Barack Obama, before ratcheting up during the second Trump presidency.
The island’s economy, which has historically depended on imported oil from Venezuela and Mexico, suffered from the US’ intervention in Venezuela late last year, including the seizure of tankers bound for Cuba and a blockade on Venezuelan oil exports.
In late January, Mr Trump authorised additional tariffs on imports into the US from countries that directly or indirectly supply oil to Cuba, and confirmed that regime change on the island was a goal by the end of the year.
Cuban officials have rejected suggestions of President Miguel Diaz-Canel stepping down or being removed from power, with Vice-Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio telling reporters on Friday: « The political system of Cuba is not up for negotiation. »
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