Sheinbaum ordered an investigation into the details of the decree and warned of its humanitarian consequences
EFE (via 14ymedio), Mexico City, 31 January 2026 — Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente held a telephone call this Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which both parties reiterated their willingness to strengthen bilateral cooperation on agendas of common interest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
In a post on social networks, the Mexican Foreign Ministry indicated that the conversation took place on Friday afternoon and that both officials agreed to promote cooperation between their departments.
For its part, an official statement from the State Department – attributable to the principal deputy spokesman, Tommy Pigott – indicated that Rubio spoke with De la Fuente about “advancing shared priorities and regional security,” without offering further details on specific topics discussed.
The call comes a day after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a mechanism to impose additional tariffs on imports from countries that directly or indirectly sell or supply oil to Cuba.
At the end of 2025, Mexico became the main supplier of oil to Cuba after the collapse of shipments from Venezuela.
The decree stipulates that the U.S. Department of Commerce will determine whether a country supplies crude oil or petroleum products to the Island, and that the State Department will subsequently recommend whether and to what extent an additional tariff is warranted.
At the end of 2025, Mexico became the main supplier of oil to Cuba after the collapse of shipments from Venezuela.
Hours earlier, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that her government would seek “different alternatives” to support the Cuban people and warned that the measure could “trigger a far-reaching humanitarian crisis” on the island, impacting hospitals, food, and basic services.
Sheinbaum said she instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact the U.S. government to understand precisely the scope of the decree and raise the humanitarian risk, in line with Mexico’s historical stance of solidarity with Cuba.
Last Wednesday, Sheinbaum spoke by phone with her counterpart Trump, in a conversation of almost 40 minutes, which was described as cordial and productive.
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