Oil "At Affordable Prices" Leads Cuban President Diaz-Canel to Mexico

Neither the Mexican nor the Cuban Executive revealed the details of the meeting between Miguel Díaz-Canel and Andrés Manuel López Obrador. (@lopezobrador)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 19 October 2019 — In the absence of official information from the Cuban side about the lightning visit to Mexico made last Thursday by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, the newspaper La Jornada revealed that the goal was to get oil “at affordable prices,” according to the Mexico’s Foreign Ministry Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, Maximiliano Reyes Zúñiga.

The official told La Jornada that “the Mexican Administration is clear that one of the most important demands in Cuba is the provision of sufficient energy at affordable prices.”

“Surely we will advance in that direction,” added the official.

Neither the Mexican nor the Cuban Executive revealed the details of the meeting, which surprised by its haste. Reyes Zúñiga also explained that both countries had reviewed existing programs in higher education and health, but also did not give more information.

“We strengthen our historical relationship with the people and the Government of Cuba, as well as the bonds of friendship and cooperation for development with the peoples of Latin America,” said the Government of Mexico on Twitter after the meeting.

In a previous press conference, López Obrador announced that the reason for the visit was to talk about an undefined development plan.

“We are going to talk in general about a program to be developed in the short-medium term. There is nothing precise, but there is a willingness for development cooperation,” said the Mexican president.

This was Díaz-Canel’s third visit to Mexico, the national newspapers reported, although it was the first official visit after assuming the position of President of the Republic. Last December the Cuban ruler attended the inauguration of López Obrador.

The Island is experiencing an intense energy crisis. On September 11, Díaz-Canel said it was a “short-term” situation because the Island had temporarily stopped receiving oil due to US pressure on shipping companies to dissuade them from delivering fuel to Cuba in retaliation for its support of Venezuela.

This situation affected mainly transport and industry due to lack of diesel. The authorities had to initiate savings measures in the state sector that kept the country working at half-speed for almost a month and the population in fear of a new Special Period, like the time in the 1990s when the collapse of the USSR ended the huge subsidies it had been giving the island.

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