Abdulah warns T&T would ‘grind to a halt’ amid Cuba fuel crisis

2026-03-26 - 02:54

Senior Reporter kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt Political leader of the Movement for Social Justice, David Abdulah, has criticised the Government’s response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Cuba, warning that fuel shortages there have created conditions that would bring this country to a standstill within weeks. Speaking during the party’s Tuesday Talk web series yesterday, Abdulah described the situation in Cuba as serious and difficult, blaming what he termed “collective punishment” arising from the United States blockade, particularly over the last three months, as restrictions on fuel supplies intensified. Putting the crisis into a local context, he urged all to consider the implications of a similar disruption at home, noting that with the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery mothballed, the country depends heavily on imported fuel to sustain transportation, commerce and essential services. “If you can imagine that we were not able to access any fuel for two or three months, what would be our situation here? People would not be able to get public transport to get to work, businesses would have to close down because workers cannot get to work, then trucks cannot move goods from ports to various locations, and the inter-island ferry would shut down, and the air bridge between Trinidad and Tobago would also shut down,” Abdulah said. According to international reports, last Friday, the US Treasury Department announced that Cuba would be prohibited from taking delivery of Russian crude, even as two tankers were en route to Havana. The measure forms part of a broader sanctions framework targeting Russian oil exports, with Washington clarifying that shipments bound for Cuba and North Korea remain restricted even if loaded before the waiver date. These developments are tied to the ongoing crisis in Cuba, where the United States has threatened sanctions against countries exporting oil to the island, intensifying pressure on Havana and contributing to one of its most severe fuel shortages since the 1990s. Cuba relies heavily on imported oil and generates most of its electricity from oil and natural gas. The country is experiencing a systemic electricity crisis driven by ageing infrastructure, fuel shortages and technical failures, with significant impacts on daily life, the economy and public services. Abdulah said the hardships being experienced by the Cuban people are not a result of the country’s economic system but of sustained external pressure. He also pointed to regional efforts to assist, noting that several organisations collaborated on a forum in Port-of-Spain on March 1 and established a fund to provide support to Cuba through the purchase of medicine and solar panels. He said approximately $20,000 has already been raised, but additional contributions are needed. Abdulah added that Cuba has historically provided support to T&T and the wider international community, citing opportunities for nationals to study in fields such as medicine, economics, architecture and the arts, as well as the work of Cuban medical brigades in global health crises. He also referenced Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott’s training under a Cuban coach. Abdulah further added that while Caricom governments had committed in February to sending humanitarian assistance within a month, that timeline has passed without delivery.