Cuba Has Until Late March Before Running Out Of Fuel Due To U.S. Blockade, Analyst Says

Cuba has until late march before running out of fuel as a result of the ongoing blockade imposed by the U.S., according to an analyst.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Vortexa Ltd senior oil analyst Rohit Rathod said he would "give it until" then "before they run out of fuels."

The analyst noted that Cuba received substantial amounts of oil in December, which should last for some more weeks. However, it didn't receive any in January for the first time in a decade.

The outlet reported on Friday that a ship potentially carrying Russian fuel is on its way to the beleaguered Caribbean country. The Sea Horse, it said, is expected to arrive in early March. It received ship-to-ship transfer off the coast of Cyprus and is believed to be carrying some 200,000 barrels of gasoil, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler.

Moscow has been perhaps the most vocal critic of Washington's policy, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urging the country this week to "show common sense" and "abandon its plans for a naval blockade."

State-run news agency TASS reported that the remarks took place in the context of a meeting between Lavrov and Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. There Lavrov said Washington's actions are "unacceptable" and reiterated that Moscow will "continue to constantly support Cuba in the protection of its sovereignty and security."

Rodriguez Parrilla, on his end, said the U.S.'s actions pose a threat to the sovereignty "of all countries" and that "Cuba will continue to move forward with the protection of its independence and sovereignty, stay course and seek for effective solutions for its economy."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier this month that Moscow doesn't want an escalation but noted that Russia and the U.S. "don't have almost any trade." He has also detailed Havana's situation as "truly critical" and said U.S. pressure measures were creating "multiple difficulties" for the country.

Elsewhere, Russian airlines will temporarily suspend flights to Cuba after operating special return trips to bring home stranded tourists, the country's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said in mid-February.

Originally published on Latin Times

Tags

Cuba, Russia, Fuel, United States