Trending 
The United Nations said it is discussing with the United States the possibility of easing restrictions on fuel supplies to Cuba to support humanitarian operations on the island.
The UN’s resident coordinator in Cuba, Francisco Pichon, while speaking to AFP on Monday, stated that the organisation had held discussions with the administration of Donald Trump aimed at securing fuel access for emergency relief activities. He explained that the talks were intended to ensure humanitarian agencies could obtain the fuel needed to carry out their work.
According to Pichon, the discussions also covered fuel requirements for Cuban non-governmental organisations working alongside the UN, as well as state-run health centres that provide services to vulnerable groups such as elderly people, pregnant women and others in need.
The situation follows an energy blockade imposed by Washington in January, which the United States said was intended to increase pressure on Cuba’s communist leadership.
Since the restrictions took effect, Cuba has reportedly gone two months without receiving oil shipments. The shortage has disrupted daily life, forcing airlines to reduce or suspend flights while leaving power plants and farms struggling to secure fuel.
Pichon said UN agencies operating in Cuba had been subjected to strict fuel rationing, which had affected their ability to carry out field operations. He added that the shortages were also making it difficult for agencies to retrieve humanitarian aid arriving at ports and airports.
The Cuban government has accused Washington of attempting to strangle its economy.
In response to the fuel crisis, Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz‑Canel has introduced emergency measures, including tighter fuel rationing.
The United States has defended the blockade by claiming that Cuba poses what it describes as an extraordinary threat to US national security.
