Cuba’s next fuel shipment in purgatory

Earlier this week, Florida‑based Vanguard Energy announced it had authorization from both the US and Cuban governments to ship 250,000 barrels of fuel to private buyers in Cuba – potentially the island’s largest delivery since Eisenhower‑era sanctions in 1960. But once the news became public, the US State Department said Vanguard did not have a valid license, freezing the deal. Cuba has faced severe fuel shortages since the US imposed a de facto blockade earlier this year, and the most recent shipment could have powered the island for about 11 days. Although the US recently eased some sanctions on the sale of small amount of fuel to private companies for humanitarian reasons, this deal now remains uncertain.