The Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs is warning citizens to avoid travel to Cuba and urging those already in the Caribbean nation to leave while commercial flights are still operating, citing worsening shortages of fuel, electricity and essential goods.

In a statement released Monday, the ministry said Costa Ricans should reconsider any non-essential travel to the island due to severe shortages of food, water, medicine and other basic supplies. It also noted that evacuation options from Cuba would be extremely limited in the event of an emergency, adding that Costa Rica does not currently have the resources to conduct evacuation operations for citizens in countries affected by ongoing instability.

“Due to the deterioration of fuel, electricity and basic goods, all Costa Ricans remaining on the island are urged to depart while commercial flights are available,” the ministry said. It added that Costa Rican nationals living in Cuba should remain in contact with the Costa Rican consulate in Havana for assistance.

The Foreign Ministry provided contact information for the Consulate General in Havana: concr-cu@rree.go.cr   and official lines (0053) 7204-6937 and (0053) 7204-6938.

The advisory comes as Cuba confronts a deepening economic and energy crisis. Tensions between the United States and Cuba have escalated sharply this year, with American sanctions tightening pressure on the island’s already fragile energy supplies.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 29 imposing tariffs on any country that supplies Cuba with oil,  a move that disrupted fuel imports from Mexico, Cuba’s main supplier after Venezuela halted exports under U.S. pressure.

By late January, Cuba had received just 84,900 barrels of oil for the year, or roughly 3,000 barrels per day,  a sharp decline from about 37,000 barrels per day in 2025, according to a report by Reuters.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has described the measures as an “energy blockade,” warning they are disrupting transportation, hospitals, schools, tourism and food production.

Aviation authorities have said that there is insufficient jet fuel available on the island, and rolling power blackouts are becoming more severe.

The worsening fuel crisis has already affected daily life, causing trash collection services to falter in Havana and prompting other countries, including Russia, to begin evacuating some tourists due to the energy shortage.

Early this month, Costa Rica urged citizens to avoid traveling to the Middle East due to escalating conflicts and worsening security conditions across the region.

The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry, which oversees the nation’s diplomatic missions and foreign policy, underscored that its ability to assist citizens in crises abroad is limited and urged Costa Ricans abroad to prepare accordingly.