U.S. President Donald Trump caught Mexico off guard by issuing an executive order that threatens tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed on Friday. Sheinbaum disclosed during a press briefing in Tijuana, Baja California, that Trump did not mention Cuba during their 40-minute phone call the previous day.
“The topic of Cuba was not discussed during our conversation, and later in the evening, this executive order was released,” Sheinbaum stated. She instructed her foreign affairs secretary to request further clarification from the U.S. State Department.
The executive order signed by Trump, released on Thursday evening, warns of potential tariffs on any nation that supplies oil to Cuba, without specifying the tariff amounts. Mexico has emerged as Cuba’s primary oil provider following the U.S. gaining control over Venezuela’s oil industry due to recent military actions resulting in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is currently facing legal charges in New York.
Sheinbaum expressed concerns that imposing tariffs on oil shipments to Cuba could lead to a severe humanitarian crisis on the island, affecting hospitals, electricity supply, and food availability. She emphasized, “The imposition of tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba could have significant humanitarian consequences.”
Acknowledging Cuba’s challenging situation, Sheinbaum highlighted the need to avoid jeopardizing Mexico with respect to the proposed tariffs. Mexico’s oil exports to Cuba through its state-owned company have decreased from approximately 17,000 barrels per day in the initial nine months of 2025 to around 7,000 barrels per day this month. Verification from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and an NPR report indicated that Mexico exported about 20,000 barrels per day to Cuba in the previous year.
Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the state-run oil entity, recently canceled an oil shipment to Cuba, as confirmed by Sheinbaum. Veronica Ayala from the research group Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity criticized the lack of transparency from the Sheinbaum administration regarding oil exports to Cuba. She noted that all exports are presently on hold. Ayala’s organization observed a decline in oil shipments to Cuba starting in late 2025, coinciding with increased scrutiny from U.S. legislators on Mexico’s oil arrangements with Cuba.
Matías Gómez Léautaud, a Latin America expert with Eurasia Group, highlighted Mexico’s longstanding support for Cuba but recognized the challenging position Mexico faces due to ongoing trade negotiations and security issues with the U.S., particularly concerning drug trafficking.
The Trump administration’s actions have placed Mexico in a delicate situation, potentially straining both Mexico’s relationship with Cuba and its future direction.