The United Nations has proposed a $94.1 million (€81.4 million) emergency action plan to assist Cuba amid a deepening energy and economic crisis, UN coordinator in Cuba Francisco Pichon said. The package includes measures to monitor and manage fuel use and is contingent on securing fuel supplies guaranteed for humanitarian use.
Pichon warned that Cuba’s dwindling fuel reserves risk a rapid deterioration of conditions and potential loss of life if not addressed. A central element of the plan is a “fuel traceability model” intended to create a transparent mechanism for channeling energy shipments for humanitarian purposes and to reassure partners about how supplies will be used.
Cuba’s shortages intensified after former US President Donald Trump publicly warned in late January that countries supplying oil to Cuba could face tariffs and repeatedly pressured for political change in Havana. The effective tightening of access to fuel has worsened problems in the power sector and hit tourism, airlines and basic civic services such as sanitation. The UN has reported thousands of cancelled surgeries and declining air quality as some people turn to burning wood for cooking during frequent power outages.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Washington and Havana are in early-stage talks; he added that former leader Raúl Castro has also been involved. In an interview with Spanish politician Pablo Iglesias, Díaz-Canel described the process as beginning with the establishment of a dialogue channel, then developing common agendas and demonstrating commitment to implement agreed programs.
The Trump administration has linked any easing of the blockade to political concessions from Cuba, including the release of political prisoners and steps toward political and economic liberalization. Trump has at times spoken openly about regime change, saying he would have “the honor of taking Cuba, soon.”
Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Mexico will maintain a bilateral agreement that allows Cuban doctors to work in Mexico, calling it “a bilateral agreement that helps Mexico a lot.” Several countries in the region have ended similar medical cooperation under US pressure. US officials, including Senator Marco Rubio, have described Cuba’s medical missions as forms of “forced labor” or “human trafficking,” language the White House cited when it imposed restrictions on Central American officials tied to the Cuban program, referencing Rubio’s June 2025 remarks.
The UN says it is continuing negotiations with Washington to secure specific fuel exemptions for humanitarian aid. Cuban authorities emphasize that any solution requires a structured dialogue addressing both the immediate humanitarian needs and the broader political dimensions of the crisis.
Edited by: Alex Berry