The shipments of crude oil and diesel from Pemex to Cuba, estimated to have totaled over $1.4 billion between January 2023 and September 2025 according to reports submitted by the oil company to the U.S. SEC, raise a significant question: can it be confirmed that this fuel is actually mitigating the power outages affecting Cuban families?
An investigation by Animal Político highlights that despite the official narrative of "humanitarian aid," there are no public mechanisms allowing for independent verification of the final destination and use of these shipments to directly benefit the populace.
This lack of transparency comes amidst a severe energy crisis on the island, where power cuts can last up to 18 hours daily, and residents may wait up to three months for gasoline appointments. This situation intensifies doubts about whether the assistance genuinely alleviates the hardships faced by households.
Opaque Operations and Accountability Concerns
According to reports from México Evalúa, referenced by Animal Político, the shipments were funneled through Gasolinas Bienestar, S.A. de C.V., a private subsidiary of Pemex tasked with supplying fuel to vulnerable communities both in Mexico and abroad. However, Pemex has argued that due to its legal nature, this subsidiary is not obliged to transparency, which has been used to withhold detailed information about these transactions.
While the Mexican Presidency publicly acknowledges that "this information must be provided," it simultaneously confirms the continuation of shipments to Cuba, justifying them as "humanitarian aid." This creates, according to the analysis, a blatant tension: a recognized public interest but a legal framework that restricts access to data on operations funded with public resources.
Humanitarian Aid or Black Box Operations?
México Evalúa asserts that the issue isn't a moral one ("to help or not to help"), but rather one of accountability. It argues that humanitarian aid necessitates public contracts, independent audits, certification of end-use, and clauses to prevent triangulation.
Absent these measures, what is presented as aid might end up as unverified subsidies to entities that fail to demonstrate their benefits reach the intended population.
The analysis also draws parallels with the precedent set by PDVSA, where oil donations "intended for social purposes" ended up diverted to third countries, as documented in the analysis itself. Without traceability and external controls, the risk of diversions is not an abstract hypothesis but a vulnerability tied to lack of transparency.
Financial and Geopolitical Implications
The focus is also placed on the profile of Gasolinas Bienestar: with available information from the Public Account, it describes a highly leveraged subsidiary with nearly zero margins and a lack of detailed financial statements that would clarify whether reported figures correspond to actual collections or highly uncertain accounts receivable.
From this perspective, the subsidiary does not create economic value for Pemex and raises concerns about potential financial damage if sales are recorded that, in practice, are not collected.
Concurrently, México Evalúa points to geopolitical pressures and costs: mentioning criticisms from U.S. congress members, the precedent of the Exim Bank regarding a loan requested by Pemex, and the potential for this case to become a friction point in negotiations leading up to 2026, where transparency and energy sector standards affect trust among partners.
Documented Facts and Lingering Doubts
What is documented: reports of crude oil and diesel shipments valued at over $1.4 billion and a corporate structure (Gasolinas Bienestar) that has been used to restrict access to detailed information.
What remains unclear — and here's the crux of the matter —: there are no independent public mechanisms to verify that these shipments are effectively improving electricity generation, and thus directly benefiting Cuban families enduring relentless power outages.
In a scenario where the Cuban population suffers from prolonged blackouts and fuel shortages, the question persists: without transparency in agreements and verifiable traceability, how can it be determined if Mexico's oil aid truly reaches the Cuban people — or if it dissipates into an opaque system with no accountability?
Key Questions About Mexican Oil Aid to Cuba
What is the total estimated value of Pemex's oil shipments to Cuba?
The oil shipments from Pemex to Cuba are estimated to have totaled over $1.4 billion between January 2023 and September 2025.
Why is there concern about the transparency of these shipments?
There is concern because there are no public mechanisms to verify independently that the shipments are being used to alleviate Cuba's energy crisis, which raises doubts about their effectiveness.
How is Gasolinas Bienestar involved in these shipments?
Gasolinas Bienestar, a subsidiary of Pemex, is reportedly used to channel these shipments, although its private legal status has been cited to limit transparency regarding the transactions.