Canada pledges food aid for Cuba as US fuel blockade continues

TORONTO — Canada announced Wednesday it is sending $8 million Canadian (US$6.7 million) in food aid to people in Cuba as the island faces an escalating fuel crisis as oil shipments have slowed following U.S. threats of tariffs.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said she not discuss Canada's aid intentions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio or the other U.S. officials.

“This is Canadian foreign policy,” he said. “We are focused on the humanitarian situation.”

The funding will be delivered through United Nations agencies instead of the Cuban government.

Global Affairs Canada has warned travelers for more than a year of “shortages of basic necessities, including food, medicine and fuel,” across most of Cuba.

Cuba is facing an increasingly dire energy crisis that has heightened in recent weeks after oil shipments from Venezuela, its main oil supplier, were halted when the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its then-leader. Mexico, another major supplier, then also suspended oil shipments under U.S. pressure.

Air Canada and other airlines have canceled flights to the Caribbean island because of a shortage of aviation fuel on the island.

Canadian tourism is vital to Cuba’s economy. Global Affairs Canada, a governmental office, has said Canada is Cuba’s second-largest source of direct investment to the island, particularly in the mining and tourism sectors.

Mexico has sent a second humanitarian aid package for Cuba. Two Mexican navy vessels carrying 1,193 tons of supplies departed the Gulf of Mexico port of Veracruz on Tuesday, the Mexican Foreign Ministry announced. The shipment is expected to arrive on Saturday.

The Papaloapan is carrying 1,078 tons of beans and powdered milk, while the Huasteco is transporting 92 tons of beans and 23 tons of other food items. According to the Foreign Ministry, the final 23 tons of humanitarian aid were provided by various social organizations with the support of the Mexico City government.

In February, Mexico dispatched more than 814 tons of food and hygiene products to Cuba while diplomatic talks continued regarding the resumption of oil supplies. The oil shipments were halted in mid-January, just before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a significant tightening of the economic embargo on Havana.

The economic crisis gripping Cuba since 2020 has been compounded by intensified U.S. sanctions aimed at forcing a change in the island’s political model. These pressures led to critical shortages and severe blackouts that peaked in early 2026.

Because Cuba produces only 40% of its required fuel, it remains highly vulnerable to external blockades. While strong allies like Russia and China have condemned the U.S. measures, their support has remained largely symbolic thus far.