On February 6, Cuba announced a large-scale plan to protect essential services and fuel distribution, continuing its tough response to the US plan to cut oil supplies to the Caribbean islands.
Fuel allocation measures are the first announced moves since US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on goods into the US from any country exporting fuel to Cuba, while warning of upcoming difficulties for the Cuban people - who are already suffering from a serious shortage of food, fuel and medicine.
Cuban officials said these measures will ensure fuel supply for key sectors, including agricultural production, education, water supply, healthcare and defense.
Cuban Trade Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva said on local television: "This is an opportunity and also a challenge that we are confident we will overcome. We will not collapse".
Mr. Perez-Oliva said Cuba will continue to supply fuel for tourism and exports, including cigar production, to ensure the necessary foreign currency to finance other basic programs. "Without income, we will not be able to overcome this situation," Mr. Perez-Oliva said.
He also announced plans to plant 200,000 hectares of rice to meet "an important part of domestic demand", but acknowledged that fuel shortages will force Cuba to depend more on renewable energy for irrigation and use animal pull in cultivation.
Education Minister Naima Ariatne, who appeared in the same program, said that childcare centers and primary schools will continue to open and maintain direct learning, while high schools and higher education institutions will apply a combined learning model, requiring higher "flexibility" and may vary depending on each institution and region. "Our priority is to keep primary schools open" - Ms. Ariatne said.
Senior officials also affirmed that the health sector will be prioritized, especially focusing on emergency services, obstetrics and cancer treatment programs.
The Cuban government emphasized that domestic and international air transport will not be immediately affected by fuel distribution, although it will face a reduction in gasoline sales until supply stabilizes again.
The government of this country also pledged to protect the operation of ports and ensure fuel for domestic transportation, in order to maintain the import and export activities of the island nation.
