On October 8, 2026, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío condemned the United States government for seizing more than two million liters of biodiesel destined for the island, labeling the enforcement action as “piracy and pillage.” teleSUR reported that the fuel shipments, intercepted in international waters, were acquired by state and private entities to ease severe energy shortages in Cuba.
Federal authorities announced that 90 separate shipments of fuel had been intercepted, consisting of 71 shipments originating from Port Everglades in Florida and 19 from the Port of Houston in Texas. These cargoes were reportedly bound for ENETEC S.A., a Havana-based fuel distributor placed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list of Specially Designated Nationals on July 13, 2026.
Cuba Contests Legality of Maritime Interceptions
Cuban officials have fiercely contested the legality of these actions.
The vice chancellor argued that real illegality stems from Washington intimidating sovereign states, export firms, and maritime transporters with threats of reprisals. He further denounced the physical interception of vessels carrying supplies in international waters as acts violating standard norms of maritime trade.
The recent biodiesel interceptions follow a string of similar maritime enforcement operations in the Caribbean. Earlier in the autumn, the United States Coast Guard intercepted the cargo vessel ‘Grace’, escorting the ship to the Mexican port of Progreso where local maritime authorities confirmed the presence of fuel stored in ballast tanks. That intervention followed the summer seizure of another vessel, the ‘Jaira Provider’, near Puerto Rico. Between January and March of 2026, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) exported an average of 900 barrels daily of petroleum products to Cuba through its designated sales subsidiary, according to a report filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Energy Deficits and Domestic Impact on the Island
The tightening maritime restrictions compound an already critical domestic situation in Cuba. The island faces its worst crisis in decades, driven by the suspension of regular Venezuelan crude shipments since November 2025 and shrinking supplies from Mexico. Official estimates indicate that Cuba produces approximately 40,000 barrels of oil daily while requiring between 90,000 and 110,000 barrels to sustain baseline operations.
| Metric / Detail | Reported Figure |
|---|---|
| Daily Domestic Oil Production | ~40,000 barrels |
| Estimated Daily Demand | 90,000 – 110,000 barrels |
| Intercepted Biodiesel (DHS Operation) | >600,000 gallons (~2.2 million liters) |
| Designated Target Entity | ENETEC S.A. (Sanctioned July 2026) |
This massive supply deficit manifests daily in widespread electrical grid collapses. Persistent generator breakdowns and fuel scarcity have triggered rolling blackouts lasting between 20 and 24 hours daily across multiple localities. In Havana, these power failures disrupt water pumping stations affecting about 3.5 million residents, alongside compounding strains on hospitals, public transit networks, and food refrigeration systems. The Cuban government has denounced Washington’s measures as economic warfare and aggression.
As federal investigations in Florida and Texas remain active, U.S. homeland security officials have withheld specific names of exporters and intermediaries under scrutiny. Meanwhile, diplomatic friction continues to mount as Havana brands the financial and logistical blockades as a systemic form of collective punishment.
