The Cuban government has refused a request by the US Embassy in Havana to allow it to import diesel for its generators while the Trump administration continues to impose a fuel blockade on the island, according to two US officials familiar with the matter. The Cuban government turned down the request as the US State Department has been weighing a reduction in staffing at the embassy in Havana because of the lack of diesel. Such a move would likely lead to a US demand for a similar reduction in staffing at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, say the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

The Cuban government rejection was first reported by The Washington Post. Cuba has struggled with dwindling oil since the US removed Venezuela's leader, halting critical petroleum shipments from the nation. President Donald Trump then threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying Cuba with oil. The island is relying on its own natural gas, solar power and its own oil to run thermoelectric plants, but that hasn't been enough to meet demand. The standoff on diesel comes as Trump has been pressing for dramatic change in government led by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. Trump has suggested that top Cuban leaders would be smart to avoid the fate of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted and arrested in a US military operation in January. Venezuela had been Cuba's closest ally and provided it with heavily subsidized oil. Any potential staffing reduction at the embassy is not expected to come immediately because the US believes it has enough diesel in reserve to last for another month, according to one official.