US Ally Hardens Stand Against Trump Amid Russia, China Backing For Cuba | 'Mexico Won't Surrender'

A quiet energy crisis is rapidly turning into a geopolitical showdown stretching from Washington to Mexico City and all the way to Havana. As Cuba struggles with crippling blackouts and fuel shortages, Mexico has emerged as one of its last remaining energy lifelines — a role that now risks triggering harsh U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump’s warning against countries supplying oil to the island. Reuters sources reveal near-daily talks between Mexican officials and Washington as Mexico tries to balance humanitarian aid with economic survival. Cuba depends on imports for nearly two-thirds of its energy, and after U.S. action against Venezuelan oil shipments, the stakes have never been higher. As the United Nations warns of a possible humanitarian breakdown, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum strikes a defiant tone, vowing that Mexico “does not kneel” and will not surrender its sovereignty. Meanwhile, the White House insists Cuba is on its “last leg,” even as Havana accuses the U.S. of turning tariffs into an energy blockade.