On February 11, speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian declared that his country fully supports Havana in protecting sovereignty and will support it in the best possible way. Mr. Lin Jian also strongly condemned US sanctions as inhumane actions, directly depriving the Cuban people of their basic right to life and development.
The fuel crisis in Cuba has worsened after US forces arrested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January. Immediately after this event, the US blocked all oil tankers from Venezuela - which is the lifeblood of the island. President Trump also increased pressure with a decree threatening to impose additional tariffs on any country that dares to sell oil to Cuba, on the grounds of protecting US national security.
Faced with tight grips, the actual situation in Cuba is at a red alert level. The government of this country has had to suspend the supply of aviation fuel, forcing international airlines to technically stop in other countries to refuel.
In Havana, power outages lasting up to 20 hours a day have become a daily occurrence, paralyzing hospitals, schools and public transport.
To cope temporarily, Cubans are forced to return to using coal and firewood for cooking in the context of basic food and medicine being scarce. Cuba currently only produces about 40,000 barrels of oil per day, while actual demand is up to 100,000 barrels, making dependence on external supply a vital factor for the country's economy.
Despite strong warnings from the White House, Mexico still declared that it would maintain oil shipments for humanitarian purposes to help Cuba avoid a complete collapse.
Meanwhile, China has also launched emergency relief packages including 60,000 tons of rice and about 80 million USD in cash to ease the crisis.
China's support in Cuba is not only humanitarian but also a direct response to the "sphere of influence" doctrine that Mr. Trump is trying to re-establish in the Western Hemisphere. As the US tightens sanctions, Cuba tends to get closer to strategic partners such as China and Russia, making the geopolitical chessboard in Latin America increasingly complex and unpredictable.
