Cuban airline cancels flights after Argentina refuses to sell fuel

Jet fuel suppliers in Buenos Aires this week refused to sell the product to state-owned airline Cubana, citing concerns over U.S. sanctions on the Caribbean island, which caused immediate flight cancellations, the company said Wednesday. based in Havana. Cubana de Aviación SA, which operates flights within Cuba and to several international destinations, stated that it canceled trips on April 23 and 24, as well as other flights contracted by partners, which forced the company to rebook tickets or refund its customers. “This decision is due to the refusal of aviation fuel suppliers in the Republic of Argentina to perform the service for the airline, citing provisions of the United States blockade against Cuba,” the company stated. Argentina’s Foreign Ministry and the President’s Office did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The US trade embargo against Cuba was imposed after the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. North American laws and regulations make financial transactions and the acquisition of goods and services by the Cuban government difficult. The risks for foreign companies doing business on the island also increase. Despite the sanctions, Cubana’s long-running flights between Havana and Buenos Aires took place without major difficulties during the government of former leftist president Alberto Fernández, who maintained close ties to Cuba. But the current president, Javier Milei, a far-right libertarian who took power on December 10, is pro-US and has a cooler stance on trade partnerships with leftist governments, including Brazil and China. Cuba has remained silent on relations since Milei’s election.