Trump Admin Reportedly Planning To Allow Energy Companies To Sell Fuel To Cuban Private Companies While Still Blocking The Regime

The Trump administration is planning to allow energy companies to sell fuel to private businesses in Cuba while continuing the blockade of the regime, according to a new report.

Bloomberg detailed that the government is set to tell companies that the ongoing blockade only affects the Havana regime.

The outlet noted that almost all fuel has been historically imported to the island by the Havana regime, largely from Mexico and Venezuela.

However, flows from the countries have stopped this year. There's no more oil flowing from Venezuela after the capture of authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, while Mexico has refrained from selling oil over threats of reprisals from the U.S.

In fact, Cuba didn't receive any oil in January for the first time in a decade. Bloomberg noted in another report that the lack of shipments illustrates the acute lack of fuel taking place in the country, with an analyst telling the outlet that he expects it to run out in the coming weeks.

Vortexa Ltd senior analyst Rohit Rathod noted that Cuba received substantial amounts of oil in December, which should last for some more weeks. However, the lack of new "I would give it until late-March before they run out of fuels," he added.

The same outlet also reported last 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."