▲ Coast Guard Vice Commandant Kevin Lunday
The United States, which is enforcing a fuel blockade policy against Cuba, has intercepted and blocked two fuel tankers heading to Cuba.
Since the ouster of the Nicolas Maduro regime in January, the Trump administration has effectively cut off fuel supplies to Cuba by blocking Venezuelan fuel supplies and pressuring third countries to halt fuel shipments to the island.
The U.S. Coast Guard announced in a statement on the 2nd local time that it intercepted the container ship Grace, which was heading to Cuba, in the Caribbean Sea on September 5 of last year.
The Coast Guard explained that the Grace, detected in waters between Cuba and Mexico, was suspected of using so-called "dark fleet" tactics to evade detection while heading to Cuba.
The Coast Guard escorted the Grace to the Port of Progreso in Mexico, where a Mexican Navy inspection team discovered a large amount of fuel in the ship's ballast tanks.
The vessel also carried multiple containers suspected of holding illegal fuel.
The Coast Guard stated that prior to this, on June 28 of last year, it also intercepted and detained the small vessel Zaira Provider, which was heading to Cuba.
The Zaira Provider was carrying about 800,000 liters of fuel.
Both vessels reportedly departed from their last port of call in Colon, Panama.
This action is interpreted as an example of the U.S. Donald Trump administration stepping up maritime controls to choke off fuel supplies to Cuba.
Cuba, which has long suffered from an economic crisis, had previously relied on oil supplies from Venezuela, but is now experiencing severe fuel and economic shortages due to the Trump administration's fuel blockade measures.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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