Cuba Sanctions and Energy Crisis

Costa Rica abruptly closed its embassy in Havana and ordered most Cuban diplomats to leave, citing human‑rights abuses and prompting Havana to accuse San José of acting under U.S. pressure amid similar moves by allied governments such as Ecuador. The diplomatic rupture comes as U.S. pressure on the island intensifies — President Trump said he believed he might “take” or “free” Cuba and “do anything” with it — while Cuba struggles with a nationwide blackout tied to fuel shortages and reports that Russia has been clandestinely shipping oil to Havana using ship‑to‑ship “spoofing” tactics as Moscow vows assistance and talks with Washington continue.

Maritime intelligence firm Windward AI reports that a Hong Kong‑flagged tanker called Sea Horse covertly delivered roughly 190,000–200,000 barrels of oil to Cuba in early March 2026, allegedly using classic sanctions‑evasion tactics such as AIS shut‑offs during a ship‑to‑ship transfer near Cyprus, sailing without Western insurance, repeatedly changing its stated destination, and broadcasting misleading "not under command" signals while apparently offloading near Cuba. The suspected delivery came as U.S. measures imposed since Jan. 29 have effectively created an oil blockade, disrupting fuel shipments and preceding a March 16 grid collapse that Cuban authorities say left about 10 million residents without power. The article also cites Financial Times reporting that Russian‑flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin is expected to reach Cuba with crude by around April 4, and quotes Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying on March 17 that Moscow is "ready to provide all possible assistance" to the island. Senior State Department officials tell Fox News that under existing U.S. law Cuban companies and citizens can still legally buy oil, arguing the embargo targets only regime purchases and that Havana’s own policies are the real obstacle. The episode highlights how Russia is probing U.S. sanctions around Cuba with gray‑zone shipping tactics, raising questions about Washington’s ability and willingness to enforce its embargo amid a deepening energy crisis just 90 miles from Florida.