Cuba Warns of Critical Jet Fuel Depletion
A notice to airmen (NOTAM) distributed Sunday by Havana's Jose Marti International Airport announced that all nine international airports across Cuba will lack kerosene supplies for incoming aircraft refueling beginning Monday, with the shortage anticipated to persist through at least March. US President Donald Trump has issued threats of tariffs against nations providing petroleum to the Caribbean state, with his administration betting that economic collapse could destabilize Cuba's government.
Carriers have previously navigated comparable fuel shortfalls by incorporating refueling layovers in nations including Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Observers note, however, that escalating ticket costs from such routing adjustments risk damaging the tourism sector.
Addressing potential disruptions for Russian travelers visiting Cuba, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterized the circumstances as "truly critical" and confirmed Moscow's willingness to support its longtime ally.
"Strangulation measures by the US in fact cause many problems. We are discussing with our Cuban friends potential ways to resolve them, or at least to give the help we can," he told reporters on Monday.
Russian media outlets report domestic carriers are modifying flight schedules. Passengers booked on one Havana-bound departure were allegedly notified at the final hour to remain in Moscow, as the aircraft was reassigned for urgent transport operations.
Washington enacted its trade blockade against Cuba during the 1960s to coerce the post-revolutionary leadership regarding its Soviet Union alliance. The restrictions persisted beyond the Cold War's conclusion, driven substantially by anti-Castro expatriate communities' political leverage in battleground state Florida. President Barack Obama's diplomatic rapprochement was dismantled during Trump's initial term.
Since December 2025, the US Navy and Coast Guard have commenced intercepting petroleum tankers allegedly breaching American sanctions. The Trump administration asserts Havana provides support to terrorist organizations and functions as a gateway for Chinese and Russian power projection throughout the Western Hemisphere, which Washington regards as its exclusive domain.
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