Mexican Navy Ships Deliver 814 Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Cuba

Two Mexican Navy vessels docked at Havana’s harbor on Thursday carrying 814 tons of humanitarian aid, a gesture of solidarity arriving at the most critical point of Cuba’s energy crisis.

What the Ships Brought

The Papaloapan carried 536 tons of food: liquid milk, meat products, cookies, beans, rice, canned tuna, sardines, and vegetable oil, along with personal hygiene items. The Isla Holbox arrived with 277 tons of powdered milk.

Both vessels departed from the Mexican port of Veracruz on February 8, just days after President Donald Trump threatened increased tariffs on any country supplying oil to the island.

”Difficult Times of Great Need”

Yohandri Espinosa, a 34-year-old engineer, watched the ships arrive with his daughter from Havana’s waterfront.

“This is incredibly important aid for the Cuban people at this moment. We are living through difficult times of great need and uncertainty, and we don’t know how long we will be like this.”

Javier González, sitting on Havana’s iconic Malecón seawall as he watched the Mexican ships pull in, was cautious: “Sometimes you think things are going to improve, but it’s not like that. We can’t stay how we are because it’s too hard.”

Mexico Promises More Shipments

President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that as soon as the ships return, “we will send more support of different kinds.” Her government announced that 1,500 tons of beans and powdered milk are still planned for future deliveries.

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry described the aid as part of “the solidarity tradition of the Mexican people with the peoples of Latin America,” reaffirming its commitment to humanitarian cooperation.

What About Oil?

The big question remains unanswered. Sheinbaum has said her government is analyzing “the scope” of Trump’s executive order before deciding whether to resume crude oil shipments. Mexico was one of the last countries still supplying fuel to Cuba, but shipments halted under U.S. pressure.

According to Kpler data published by the Financial Times, so far in 2026 Cuba has received just one shipment of 84,000 barrels of oil from Mexico — fewer than 3,000 barrels per day, a fraction of what the island needs.

International Flotilla in the Works

Meanwhile, a coalition of social and humanitarian movements announced the organization of the Nuestra América flotilla, inspired by the Sumud flotilla to Gaza, planning to set sail in March with food, medicine, and essential supplies for Cuba.

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The food aid provides temporary relief, but without oil, Cuba remains mired in blackouts affecting 64% of the country. International solidarity is growing, but the fundamental question remains: who will dare to challenge Washington’s pressure?