MEXICO CITY — A growing political controversy threatens to strain diplomatic relations between Mexico, Cuba, and the United States, following reports that millions of dollars in untraceable cash are being funneled from Mexico to Havana to sustain the struggling Cuban regime. At the center of the alleged operation is former PRI politician Alejandra del Moral, who currently serves as head of the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID).
According to an investigative report by journalist Ramón Alberto Garza for Código Magenta, the covert cash bridge was established after the Mexican government, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, halted direct oil shipments to Cuba due to mounting political and economic pressure from Washington. To offset the loss of fuel assistance, the administration allegedly substituted energy shipments with physical cash transfers to support Cuba during its severe economic crisis.
The report claims that Del Moral, a prominent political figure who defected from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) to join Sheinbaum’s movement in 2024, operates as the primary courier. Intelligence sources cited in the report allege that Del Moral regularly transports suitcases packed with U.S. dollars on private flights traveling between Toluca and La Havana.
Unlike traditional foreign aid, these funds bypass Cuban financial institutions entirely. Instead, the money—reportedly sourced from Mexican public funds or illicit revenues—is distributed directly to citizens in hard-hit Cuban regions as an off-the-books, cash-based welfare initiative. This direct distribution model was reportedly designed to provide human assistance while giving Mexico plausible deniability against formal accusations of state funding for the Cuban regime.
Sources indicate that Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former leader Raúl Castro have facilitated the operation, placing a official protocol residence in Havana at Del Moral’s disposal. In exchange for managing the high-risk financial pipeline, Del Moral is reportedly seeking political backing from the ruling Morena party for a future gubernatorial run in the State of Mexico.
The clandestine operations have reportedly drawn intense scrutiny from domestic and foreign intelligence agencies, including U.S. officials who are investigating the origin of the funds and probing potential links to other left-leaning Latin American governments. Neither the Mexican government nor Del Moral has officially addressed the allegations, but the revelation adds a volatile layer of friction to regional diplomatic ties.
Source: Código Magenta
