Russia and Cuba Work to Resume Air Travel, but Fuel Shortage Persists

Russia and Cuba are working to restore air travel between the two countries, but a lack of aviation fuel on the island continues to block the restart, according to Cuba’s First Deputy Transport Minister Luis Roberto Roses Hernandez.

"The work continues, but so far it is not possible due to fuel restrictions. Because we cannot supply the planes with fuel in Cuba or in a neighboring country, the flights have not been restarted," he said on the sidelines of an international transport summit.

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing tariffs on imports from countries that supply oil to Cuba and declared a state of emergency over what he called Cuba's alleged threat to U.S. national security. That measure worsened the island's fuel shortage, affecting electricity generation, transport, food production, healthcare, and education.

Air service between Russia and Cuba was suspended in February.