Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

 

 

[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Air France announced on March 4 (local time) that it will suspend flights to Cuba from the end of March until mid-June due to the country’s ongoing fuel shortage.

In a statement to AFP, the airline said flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Havana will be temporarily halted starting March 29, citing fuel shortages in Cuba and the resulting disruptions to economic and tourism activities.

Air France added that flights to Cuba are expected to resume on June 15.

Cuba has been grappling with a severe energy crisis after the United States blocked exports of Venezuelan oil to the island following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3.

U.S. President Donald Trump also signed an executive order in late January imposing tariffs on countries trading oil with Cuba, accusing the Cuban government of supporting U.S. adversaries and threatening national security.

Cuba had relied on Venezuela for nearly half of its oil consumption, but the supply disruption has pushed the country into a deep energy shortage.

In response, the U.S. government partially eased its embargo on Cuba late last month, allowing Venezuelan oil to be exported to Cuba’s private sector for commercial and humanitarian purposes.

Washington said the move was intended to prevent Cuba’s severe economic crisis from triggering broader instability across the Caribbean region.

 

 

 

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