Two Mexican-flagged vessels carrying humanitarian supplies entered Havana Harbor early on Feb. 12, a witness said, marking a delivery from Mexico after the government previously suspended crude and refined fuel shipments to the island.
The Papaloapan was observed with numerous white-wrapped pallets stacked on its deck as it passed beside the El Morro castle and moved into the calm waters of the harbor. A second Mexican-flagged ship arrived alongside it, and both moored in the quiet harbor.
The arrival comes days after Cuba's communist-run government announced stricter rationing measures aimed at coping with disruptions to its fuel supply. Washington in January announced it would impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, saying the island represents an "extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security - a characterization that Havana rejects. In mid-January, Mexico halted shipments of crude and refined products to Cuba amid pressure from the Trump administration.
Residents gathered to watch the vessels enter. Ediberto Rodriguez, a 65-year-old Havana resident and state worker, praised Mexico's delivery, calling it an "unforgettable gesture." He said, "Mexico hasn’t abandoned us. Even with pressure from a global superpower (the United States), they weren’t afraid."
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that her government will send a second shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba in the coming days. Details on the cargo beyond the visible white-wrapped pallets were not provided by observers at the harbor.
The timing of the delivery follows public measures by Cuban authorities to institute tighter rationing, which were announced as the island faces constraints linked to a reduction in fuel supplies. The U.S. announcement of possible tariffs on oil suppliers to Cuba in January and Mexico’s earlier suspension of energy shipments under external pressure are central elements in the broader context surrounding the aid arrival.
Note: Information about the ships, the visible cargo, the local reaction, the Mexican government statement about a subsequent shipment, Cuba's rationing announcement, and U.S. tariff threats are based on available on-the-ground observations and official statements referenced in reporting from the scene.